A Journey of A Psychic
by Porahgon-X
Summary: The Caitlin Trilogy p1.  The First of a series of stories involving the Elite Four member Caitlin from the game.  Please check out the prologue for details.  Will connect with Advanceshipping later.
1. Prologue: NOT AUTHOR'S NOTES I PROMISE

Okay I lied.

But before the crew at flags this, hear me out.

This is a topic no one has done before and it fits well in to 2 other stories and I hope to eventually make a story relevant to both.

Also I will have uploaded this along with 2 chapters so I'm not spamming. 3x the work plus 2x the chapters of reading = fair and balanced. You have the rule so people don't make stories to simply share their thoughts. This will be an all-out fanfiction and I hope my quadrilogy is the best set of fanfictions out there.

The people need to know what they're getting into. It will be awesome but if most get right into the story without knowing what it's about they will ditch it. And I'm not saying this is a background info/setting page, IML.

That legal stuff being said, here is the story behind the story.

First things first I will be being cheeky by using creative puns like the anime. So please don't assume it's gong to be an overly sophisticated story based on the title of the first chapter and the first line.

Caitlin is the Psychic Elite Four member of Unova, and a Battle Frontier brain in Sinnoh. She boasts and incredible story that could SO be expanded upon. So that's what I plan on doing. She has no real stories on the internet worth mentioning.

I will also be making an AdvanceShipping story alongside of this and will have 2 stories of Caitlin + Mystery person (more on that below). My fourth one will combine the two and if I get good enough reviews, I'll start cranking out sequels until I get bored to the point where they're straight up not enjoyable anymore.

Also please understand why I'm not doing traditional shippings with Caitlin I feel like they're all underdeveloped, as Caitlin has the potential for a main character, while the others haven't done much at all besides Marley being in "Keepin in Top Forme." So Caitlin deserves someone new, one I can expand upon and get you to love with my writing.

So if you're wondering why this is tagged as ADV shipping, it's because without it, the 2nd story w/ADVshipping I am doing will be confuzzling like a Mantine'e Confuse Ray (ADVshipping movie reference? Huh? Huh? ;D)

Mystery Person – This is a guy no one has heard of. Not in the anime, not in the games, not in the TCG (I think), not in real life. Pure imagination and made-up-ness. Any similarities to real life persons or in-game characters are purely coincidental.

What does he do? Stay tuned.

I will be providing a link to an epic picture of Caitlin every other chapter, starting with 2.

So without further ado…welcome…to The Journey of A Psychic!


	2. The Fairest Maiden of Them All

**It's finally here guys. I have worked long and hard on this one.**

**Not much for me to say about it at the top here. Just enjoy plOx :)**

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><p><em>Ay, me.<em>

Caitlin was once again in her seat. Doing her routine. As it is everyday. The same as the day before. And the day before that.

As a matter of fact, she could barely remember when she last had an actual battle.

Caitlin was an unbelievably beautiful girl for her age. She didn't try…she perished the thought of attempting. She had enough crushers as is. If she dressed modestly, she was considered gorgeous in her simplicity. If she dressed like a princess, she looked even better. She even pulled off beautiful in street clothes. When asked about her looks, she would sigh and look in the distance, as if to say the conversation was over. And that if you dared to continue, she would cry.

She wore a simple pink gown with nice half-circles at the end. It had no fancy curls or furls, as those showed her off in ways she disliked. She had a fine white top that went over the gown. It went around her back about half the length of her torso and hugged her sides, just barely reaching around to her chest. Technically the top was meant to stop at the girl's sides in a suggestive fashion, but she hated the idea of immodesty. She simply readjusted the size with her special power and made it work. It had long sleeves and was made of pure silk. It was tight to her arms, but gradually got looser as it worked up her limbs. It was tied off in a fine bow above her belly. Which, by the way, wasn't more perfect. She was skinny yet not anorexic. Her skin was a flawless white with a slight peach tint that lacked any kind of blemish. Her eyes were an emerald green that captivated you and sparkled like they were actual gems. She wore two plain white hearts in her hair that complimented her power as a trainer. She wore two pink slippers with white bows on the top where the laces would be.

But ahhhhh her hair. Prom queens and supermodels wished they could have hair like her. It was big and flowing and draped over her head like it was thick, brown seaweed caught on the head of a Lumineon. She hasn't tended to making it look better once, scared it would make her from drop-dead gorgeous to unspeakably beautiful…and that would just attract more attention.

And when you consider she had to earn her spot as the Brain with her skill as a trainer, everyone wonders how she became so sad.

"The Sinnoh Battle Castle, one of the top destinations of the Battle Frontier – S (stands for Sinnoh) for a fun and interesting time. And perhaps, if you do well enough, give up a symbol in the process." The jumbotron exclaimed in the battle area of the castle. Yeah, this may be a castle but it's got some nice, innovative, techno kicks.

The monitor is a source of information and entertainment for the people in the waiting lobby and for the spectators inside the battle area. Caitlin hated hearing it. She heard it everyday for the last year. Even though the engineers updated it every week it still bored her. Just another repetitive part of her repetitive life.

Nevertheless, Darach of course would never let anyone claim the symbol it talked about without the fight of their life. The only one given out while they were in charge was to that interesting boy, the one with the unusually confidant and powerful, yet kind aura about him. While he battled Darach, he spoke directly to her. He joked with her and had a good conversation after he won. He didn't flirt with her, which was a first. He made her laugh and smile. He actually made her smile.

Technically she was in charge. She should be the one battling everyone for the symbol. But she can't. So the cute, yet somber girl was stuck at her seat dealing out the amount of CP a trainer earned.

A staticy, obviously prerecorded voice cut through her thoughts. "See, the Battle Castle has an interesting setup. You come and battle with three pokemon in a tournament. As you go along, you earn CP to your trainer pass, and if you win the final you get a bonus. If you demonstrate exemplarily skills and win three times in a row, you get a chance to battle the Frontier Brain!"

_That's me. Or Darach technically. _

"Unlike the Kanto Battle Frontier, the Sinnoh Frontier had multiple challengers everyday. It was a tourist attraction on an island just off of mainland Route 210 near Celestic Town. You simply go in and have fun. But of course there is a competitive aspect to consider as well. The Frontier Brains here are some of the best in all Sinnoh!" The monitor chirped out. Caitlin was always correcting it in her mind.

_Helllooo? Remember I'm from Hoenn?_

"People everywhere occasionally earn a symbol and cherish it like it was a trophy exclaiming 'Pokemon Master!'"

_Of course not…_

"If you beat all the prestigious sites and earn every symbol, you win a one-way ticket into the Battle Frontier Hall of Fame, and you can be a frontier brain, and call your site whatever you like and run it to your heart's desire, completely funded by the founder, Scott himself!"

_That is how I came to this dull life…_

"CAITLIN!"

"Huh, what?" Caitlin was startled. Which for her meant raising an eyebrow with slight amusement with her eyes half closed.

Darach chuckled into his white gloves. "I've been calling your name for the last 10 seconds. I was worried you dozed off again!"

Naturally her sweat dropped.

"What is your call on this battle?"

Caitlin observed what she had just seen. Yes she could daydream and be attentive to real life at the same time. It was part of her power. "…CP for this winning trainer at once!" Caitlin exclaimed her quote the way she always does. Rough and bored, nonchalant and exasperated, as if to say that her good looks and the fact she never battles says nothing about her skill, and almost like she's hinting that she wants to leave this position as soon as she can.

"Very well, my lady." Darach walked the victorious person to the back where the CP was awarded with his hand across his chest in an old-fashioned curtsy. He looked as pristine as ever today. He woke up at 4 every morning to get ready for their opening at 6. He had to keep up his look, and honestly, he seemed to enjoy his tag as Castle Valet and her butler.

He had gleaming black hair with a yellow triangle crossing the top of it, and it had an unnaturally perfect comb job, ending in a tidal wave-like top at the back. He wore a jet-black tux with medium-sized buttons and a royal purple velvet inside. And of course, he had his gold stopwatch with a chain on it, and it made him seem like a train conductor, keeping time and all.

_I owe the fact I'm not hated right now to him…I remember how it all started. After I won at the Battle Tower…After that_ stupid _victory at that _stupid _Tower._

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><p>"FOLKS EVERYWHERE, if you are just now tuning in both the challenger, Caitlin, and the Brain, Palmer have battled a fierce battle. Palmer hasn't given out a symbol ever, and Caitlin might be the first victor of the Battle Tower as it is now officially a 1 on 1! Caitlin has her Duosion, and Palmer has his Rhyperior! They are locked in a tight battle, and no one can tell which way this is going! Get out your pens, your papers, your brain cells, and don't forget your Octillery 'cause this battle might re-ink history!"<p>

Wow. Hiring the best battle MC in the world was one of Palmer's more brilliant ideas.

Caitlin was some prodigy. She has reached her final symbol, earning all the previous symbols all in one month. And now here she was about to beat the unbeaten Brain, Palmer. She was smiling the cute, coveting smile she was known for—the one that looked like she was the most joyous person on earth. No one had a doubt in their mind she was a looker, and one who could really battle. She loves the thrill and relishes in every second of this upset she was conjuring. The battle had lasted 36 minutes…the longest on record for a 3 on 3 battle

And right now, their last two pokemon were in a long 15-minute bout, both sides sustaining minor injuries. Nothing major though…it had been a game of evasion and defense up to now.

_I can't go for brute endurance. Rock pokemon beat non-fully evolved Psychic Pokemon there any day of the week._ Caitlin was deep in thought about what to do next. _Maybe I should startle them with a move that won't do much damage at all and tempt them closer_.

"Duosion! Lets continue this up with Psyshock!"

Duosion created gems of luminescent blue around it with its mind and sent them flying at Rhyperior at blinding speed. The gems crashed into him at full force and a mini explosion occurred.

"It's a direct hit! Why didn't Rhyperior dodge?" the MC shouted.

Caitlin knew very well why. Psyshock did physical damage from a specially based move. It would do nothing to a pokemon that trained its entire body in harsh deserts.

Palmer simply snickered and Rhyperior cried and shook off the blast, grinning widely at Duosion while flexing his rock-hard arms. "RHYYYYPEAR-E-ORRR!"

Most people in the crowd seemed surprised but Caitlin was unphased.

"You seem to take this easily Caitlin," said Palmer.

"You seem to have forgotten the fact that I haven't forgotten you're an undefeated frontier brain." Caitlin smiled. "Duosion, lets use a Water Pulse!"

"Duuuu-O!" Duosion created a ball of glowing water in front of it and crashed it on the ground, sending an unstoppable massive wave of water rushing toward Rhyperior.

"Rhyperior, use Rock Climb NOWWW!" Palmer shouted.

_He can be so loud for no reason…_

Rhyperior fists glowed as he slammed them on the ground, creating a plateau to rise out of it, way above the pulse's range. He climbed it at an incredible rate he almost seemed to be using Double Team.

"Duosion stop him with Psychic!"

Duosion began to glow a yellow color as it moved a large chunk of rock out of the plateau in Rhyperior's path. Rhyperior, clawing at nothing, lost momentum and began to fall.

"Duosion, move in with a Water Pulse."

Duosion once again made the ball of water and rushed in with the ball in front of it to the defenseless Rhyperior falling, its back to the ground.

"That's ok Rhyperior! Use Rock Wrecker, PRONTO!"

A huge rock…no a huge BOULDER developed at his cannon-like palm and was shot at Duosion.

"There's Rhyperior's signature move! Could this be the end?"

"Oh no, it's not. Duosion throw that Water Pulse at it!"

The whole crowd gasped. "What's this? She should know that rock will plow right through that Water Pulse! Is she giving up?"

"Now Duosion, use Thunderbolt!"

"NOW WHAT? LIGHTNINGROD WILL JUST ATTRACT THAT RIGHT BACK TO RHYPERIOR! AND ELECTRICITY HAS NO EFFECT ON GROUND TYPES LIKE IT!"

_Just what I want…_

Sparks were produced from Duosion and sent it flying in a concentrated form that looked like a lightning bolt in a straight line. It hit the water pulse and combined with it. As it hit the rock, the rock seemed to overpower the combination attack immediately. But after some time, both the rock and the electrified water quickly zoomed right into Rhyperior's horn, sending it flying.

"NO! Rhyperior!"

The crowd roared in favor of Caitlin and the creative move she just did. Of course a prodigy like Caitlin would know that Lightningrod attracts the electricity to its horn. And not only that, but knowing the Rock Wrecker was way to big for Lightningrod to go around was genius.

Rhyperior got up, but struggled to do so.

_After each Rock Wrecker, I can't use it for a while. I need to hit back hard and fast or Duosion will overpower my crippled Rhyperior._

"Atta girl Duosion!" Caitlin winked and grinned at her pokemon out of the right side of her mouth with those perfectly straight and white teeth.

"Rhyperior charge in with Hammer Arm!" Rhyperior lurched into action spinning his arm in a menacing way.

"Duosion dodge with Double Team!"

Duosion moved around itself so quickly it produced 5 copies of itself surrounding Rhyperior.

"That's alright, use Drill Run and Hammer Arm together NOW!"

As quickly as Duosion had made its copies, they were destroyed by Rhyperior's surprising speed at close range. This shocked Caitlin the first time, but this was a battle 17+ minutes in already. She had learned that Rhyperior is quick inside a certain close-range zone, but very immobile and cannot change its course of direction quickly. She could just have Duosion speed out of the area of combat, out of Rhyperior's range.

But Caitlin had already used that to her advantage this battle. No doubt Palmer knew hot to counter her counter. Caitlin needed a way to counterattack.

"Duosion, use Psyshock on the ground!"

Duosion fired blue gems at the ground and a dust cloud rose up and hid Duosion.

"You seem to have forgotten, Rhyperior love attacking in the sand!"

Rhyperior still easily found Duosion and ran into her with a full collision Drill Run.

"Now follow that up with a Hammer Arm!"

"Defend with Energy Ball!"

Rhyperior easily sidestepped the ball of natural energy and brought down his glowing arm into Duosion sending it into the ground, the Psychic type wincing in pain.

"That could be the end as the Arm of Justice comes down on Duosion!"

_The MC is SO not helping me…_

"Wrap this trifecta up with a full out Rock Wrecker."

Rhyperior ran in close to Duosion. The two shared a moment close together, raising anticipation, then Rhyperior lifted his arm right onto the Duosion stuck in the ground and fired a Rock Wrecker at it before Caitlin could call out a defense. An enormous dust cloud flew up and blinded everyone, annoying the crowd as it was anxious to see if that move ended Caitlin's unbelievable match here today.

Duosion sat there in the ground for many seconds. One…Two…Three…. The official seemed confident it was down for the count.

"Duosion is not able t…"

"duuuuu…" Duosion interrupted as it somehow inched back up slowly. It was obvious it was greatly damaged and bruised, and that simply hovering seemed to pain her. Nurse Joy was gonna have quite a piece of work on her hands if Duosion got hit one more time.

Palmer seemed shocked, but it was nothing new to him. As a matter of fact, he had once been in Caitlin's situation many years ago, and knew every passing second was one more second for her Mitosis Pokemon to find a way to beat the odds.

"Well I see your Duosion is top notch Caitlin. I can see why you gave me a run for my money you know. But enough is enough…RHYPERIOR, USE A FINAL DRILL RUN!"

Everything was happening in slow motion for the pretty girl. Every step Rhyperior took as it closed in on Duosion was as hard for her to watch as the last.

"Duosion…all the battles we've been through…all the challenges we've overcome…C'MON DUOSION LETS DO THIS!"

"duu….ooo…zhaaa…." Duosion seemed to have reached its last stand.

"DUOSIONNNNNNNNN!"

Caitlin felt an inner flare inside of her…a fury of great strength and willpower overcoming her. Her eyes sparkled with passion, yet glowed in beauty. Her hair lifted itself off of her back and was flowing like there was a fan at high power beneath her. The area around her was starting to burn up and disintegrate into a cosmos-like background. She glowed with power and started to float on air as she emanated an aura that consumed everything, turning it into an otherworldly appearance.

Everyone was shocked by this, including Rhyperior as it stopped its move short.

"Duosion, let's do this! Use Psychic!"

With Caitlin's new powerful aura, Duosion seemed to feed off of her energy, allowing it enough power to pick up Rhyperior with its mind and send it flying into the ground at a force too quickly to comprehend. Another huge mushroom cloud came up. The crowd was wondering if a dirt battlefield was a smart choice for this battle.

There was a long…long pause.

The announcement that she won, the standing ovation that lasted for 10 whole minutes, and the MC shouting so close to his mic it was as if he wouldn't be heard if his mouth didn't touch it….all of it seemed to go by in a blur to Caitlin. She couldn't celebrate her once in a lifetime triumph, as she was too busy falling to the ground, all the energy drained out of her. She was unconscious before she hit the ground. She was unaware of the fact she would never again be happy.

Except for that one battle with that one boy.

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><p><strong>So how was it? Well that's what R&amp;Ring's for :D. I hope it's exactly what you wanted it to be.<strong>

**If not let me know. And yes some things were left in the air on purpose. If you noticed this is gonna be a long story. Teehee**


	3. The Field In Dreams

**So how was Ch. 1 guys?**

**I am still in the past here, just in case that was still confusing.**

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><p>"Caitlin? Caitlin?"<p>

The girl was in what appears to be the most peaceful sleep ever. Even though she had been out for over 5 days, she showed no signs of actual pain or any possible fatal symptoms from her collapse on the doctor's instruments. She didn't even seem exhausted. It baffled everyone in the hospital, including workers, scientists, and even the people at the front desk took off that cheesy smile they always have on when they were told it was as if she just fell asleep.

The only person there waiting for her to wake up was her butler from Hoenn, Darach. When he was asked why her parents weren't there, Darach just sighed and said, "Don't worry about it." He wanted Caitlin to explain why if she wanted.

Though he was curious what was going on in that mind of hers right about then…

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><p>Caitlin had never experienced bliss like this ever before in her life. She had had so much fun and excitement in Sinnoh as compared to Hoenn, but this experience really took the cake.<p>

She was in a field of Pokemon, which, oddly enough, was only full of Psychic types. There was a lake full of Water types, but other than that it was an army of Psychics from all over the world. She had come into a close bond with every single one of them over the course of the day and was having a good conversation with them. Among them was her Duosion, who was in perfect condition somehow.

The field was full of flowers of all colors, and there were trees from all over the world surrounding them. It was perfect weather for her, cloudy and chill but not gloomy and cold. It was perfect weather for her as she could feel her inner self, as corny as that sounds. The breeze made her hair and gown flow around her slowly and majestically.

_Thank goodness there are no guys around._

Suddenly, out of nowhere, a mysterious, sparkling, speckled, translucent blob of blueish aura approached her. All the pokemon fell silent and cleared a pathway for it, as if it was their king. The spirit grazed the ground and floated towards Caitlin. Caitlin stood up as the aura reformed into a woman-like shape, one that looked oddly a lot like her in figure. It approached her, smiling. It was still ghost-like, but the aura coming off of it calmed her and the spirit did not frighten her. She even felt like she knew the ghost, even though it was dressed in very peculiar clothes.

However, it spoke in foreign-ese. "Kast shi-nu mastay. Pi til, a co-nu'sh-ay ta bulr."

Caitlin tilted her head and raised an eyebrow while scrunching down the opposite, her usual expression for confusion. "_HUH?"_

The spirit squinted its eyes, and then put on a look of enlightenment raising her index finger to the sky. "Greetings, young trainer. It is a pleasure to meet thou."

"Umm…isn't thou a word they got rid of a long time ago?" Caitlin inquired.

The spirit giggled and moved its hand up to its mouth. It was a very cute thing. Something Caitlin always did when she had a long explanation ahead of her.

"You must listen first with your ears young one. I guess language is evolving by the second so I must translate myself. My name is Kateleya. Which is Caitlin in your language. "

"Uhhh…." Caitlin started.

"And yes, I am a person." The woman finished.

"Oh well that settles that." Caitlin laughed.

Kateleya wore a robe that was an aqua blue and had on many teal bracelets and necklaces that were made of shells and string. She was barefoot and quite tan. She looked beautiful in a way only an ancient woman could. The robe had many strange designs on it going across her chest in a diagonal fashion like a banner. The robe went all the way down to her ankles. Her eyes were a captivating blue that appeared to hide an entire sea in it. Her hair was a refreshing teal and was cut short at her sides but was long and straight at the back and at her bangs. It was tied off in circular bows in the front to keep her face visible, but left alone at the outer edges so it appeared like a three-quarters of the way opened curtain. It was thin yet captivating.

"Come forth and sit. I will explain."

Caitlin walked forward calmly unlike any normal person. This kind of experience would frighten an ordinary person, but she was no ordinary person, as she would find out.

"Caitlin, you're name was given to you on purpose. Your parents were told the power you inherited, and they complied with naming you Caitlin. Even if they didn't, you would quickly start only responding to Caitlin as if it was your own name. You are prewired to understand yourself because of that name. Its part of your genes and it has special meaning."

"But what is this power? Does it have something to do with my battle earlier on?" Caitlin asked. She was beginning to become really intrigued.

"The woman did that giggle again. "All in good time. But you are right; it had something to do with your battle. Caitlin, do you know of the People of the Water?"

Caitlin searched her brain. "Umm…I've heard of them once or twice. Yeah, yeah I think I do."

"Well you are a direct descendant of them. And once every 1000 years, about 10 years before the Millennium Comet appears, a girl is born form our family blessed beyond belief with our powers of Psychic. All of us are water experts, but a select few are the best of the best with Psychic aspects. The girl born is destined to have the name Caitlin. That name has great meaning, and there is a reason for that. In our language, Kateleya also means 'Princess.' And since Manaphy is the Prince of the sea, the Princess must always protect the Prince. I am quite surprised you have unlocked your potential very early for an uninformed girl. You are perhaps the youngest person I have done this initiation too ever I believe."

"Initiation? Potential?" Caitlin was intrigued.

The woman's smile was warm. "Yes. You figured out you're ability as a Caitlin from the People of the Water in your battle against…umm Talker?"

"Palmer, but you're close. Besides, he was quite the talker." They both shared a laugh at that.

Caitlin felt slightly proud of her accomplishment, but guilty that it was because of an accident. "I can't take credit for this…it was pure accident. I just wanted Duosion to win so badly yesterday."

The woman nodded and smiled. "That's still finding it out. And I am proud of you nonetheless."

Caitlin's face lit up. "Thank you so much Kateleya. But may I ask, who EXACTLY are you?"

"I am the appointed counselor. I am to explain what you are to you right here and now."

"So you're a teacher?"

"No, unfortunately not." The woman's face darkened slightly. "I am afraid after today you will never hear form me again."

Caitlin looked at her slippers sheepishly. "Oh…."

The woman's face darkened completely now. "And I'm afraid your life is going to get very rough from here on."

The younger girl looked up curiously and furrowed her brow. "Huh?"

Kateleya looked in the distance. "This is the hard part for me. See every Princess Caitlin is awarded a different power, but that comes with a weakness. Each new Caitlin is a world apart from the previous. It's hard to believe they're all related. You must figure out the power you possess by yourself, I'm afraid. But you must first find your weakness, because each Caitlin has a problem to overcome, otherwise things could get fatal for multiple individuals. This, I'm afraid, you must also figure out yourself."

Caitlin's jaw had dropped a long time ago. She was beginning to get scared, staring this woman directly in the eyes, afraid if she looked away she might not hear anything Kateleya was saying.

"That's not the end of it." Kateleya flicked around her teal bracelet and removed it. She handed it to Caitlin. "This is the mark of our people. I can tell it is meant for you."

Caitlin looked at it and agreed to take the peculiar item. It was pretty, plain, and humble, yet had a strong and beautiful aura to it. Just like her.

"I think I can see in your aura this one thing. Caitlin I can tell you are the most beautiful we have had yet come into your position. So you will still be noticed by everyone as the person you are. You will not let the pains life is going to bring you bog you down. No amount of sadness of pain will take that from you."

"But what am I supposed to do? I am very lost…"

The woman's expression was bright. "That you have to find out for yourself as well."

The girl balled up her hand and put it on her chin thought about this.

"Young one, I see why you could be startled by this. It is very sudden and you have no idea what to do." Kateleya's face became serious as the ancient woman furrower her brow. Her hair became a dark blue, which Caitlin just noticed that the color kept changing based on the current mood of The Person of the Water. "And unfortunately, I have only worse news to bring you. Your life is going to get tougher in every way, shape, and form. You are lucky you are as beautiful as you are, you have a plethora of guys you can choose to accompany you on this journey."

Caitlin blushed and closed her eyes, frantically waving her hands in front of her. "NO, NO, NO, NO, NOO!"

She looked up and saw the woman looking down at her with a look that was either amusement or disdain. Caitlin's face blushed even more in embarrassment.

"I'm sorry my lady. I just want the perfect guy for me. I may be all people say I am, but I'm no better from the girl next to me in the long run, and I'm kinda tired of every guy not noticing the special other who cares for them because they're too busy chasing after me. So I want a guy who likes me for who I am. Someone who doesn't fall head over heels for me from the get-go."

The lady threw her head back and laughed extremely loudly. Like really loud. Like Palmer level loud.

"Oh Caitlin you are just the most precious thing. You have to be both beautiful and kind, a rare combination these days. You are just too humble with yourself. I would almost call it a problem."

Caitlin felt her face go completely red.

The woman backed up. "Caitlin, it's time for me to go. It has been a pleasure meeting you, and I wish you the best of luck."

Caitlin smiled and called out to her, "Thank you Kateleya, it's been a pleasure to meet you!"

The woman stopped dead in her tracks and sweatdropped. "Ah, drat, I forgot this part." She facepalmed.

_Huh?_ Caitlin thought.

The woman looked back and said, "You're gonna have to do something hard in your future. Something really hard. Something where you very well might make the wrong choice. And it could be a huge problem if you do that. Ah well look at the time, you have to wake up now. I believe you've been asleep for five days. Ta ta for now. Or I guess for good." Kateleya giggled that same giggle again. "Goodbye Caitlin, I know you will do great things in your life!"

And with that the woman dissolved into a blue mist that blew away with a strong gust of an ocean wind, leaving a confused Caitlin standing there who still hadn't quite processed what just happened.

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><p><strong>Ha. I got ya. I will give you two huge hints for the future since I'm feeling generous.<strong>

**1) Yes Caitlin is 10 years old. I don't care what the game say about her being 14, she looked the same age as Ash, and even younger than May (which I know is contradictory).**

**2) People of the Water. I said I would connect this with a future Advanceshipping story. People of the Water. I have paid attention to Pokemon well, as well as you i hope. People of the Water. Haummmmmmmm.**

**As always R&R ^_^**


	4. Tears Flow, Years Grow

**Hey guys. Its me again.**

**Just fyi, in my mind, a year for Pokemon is more than 12 months. Way more than 12 months. Hence the reason it took Ash and May a total of 7 months of time just preparing and training for the Hoenn League and Brandon, and Hoenn and Kanto Grand Festival. And that was after they earned 8 badges/6 symbols and 5 ribbons for both regions, respectively. And yet a year somehow still hasn't passed in the Pokemon world.**

**Keep that in mind.**

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><p>Caitlin stirred in her bed for the first time in 5 days. She rose from her hospital bed blinking her eyes wide-awake, slowly but surely. She looked down and saw she was wearing the pure white apron hospitals made a patient wear for operations. She sighed and shook her head. She giggled at the thought of guys finding a way to gawk at her in this outfit.<p>

"Ah, it's good to see you're in top form Caitlin."

Caitlin looked to her right to find her butler sitting in a chair with a cup of tea in his hand. He was smiling as per usual. And of course he had that gold stopwatch open as if he predicted her to wake up at this precise time. Yet as time-picky as he was he has not once bothered her about rushing.

_Maybe because of home._ That was always the trainer's thought when she pondered this odd fact.

"Where am I?" Caitlin wanted to know how far from the Battle Tower she was.

Darach smiled. "You are literally in the Battle Tower right now. They provide a year-round, full service Pokemon Center and hospital. Thank Arceus too…you had everyone worried after you were still slumped over on the ground after an hour!"

Caitlin looked surprised at first and blinked a couple times. Then she smiled and knew why Darach was scared. "Yeah I suppose. Hey Darach, can you help me with something?"

Darach curtly nodded. "I would love to on two conditions."

Caitlin perched her head on her shoulder. "Oh? And that would be…?"

Darach sighed. "The lovely doctor here would like to know the story about your parents. I tried to persuade to them to not make you, but I guess legal complications and all that got in the way."

Caitlin groaned. _That's just the first condition…_

Darach chuckled. "The second is if you let me make a few calls to reschedule a few things. And also promise me you'll take me to ice cream after this for celebration of your most recent accolade!" His eyes sparkled as his slick black hair was pulled to the side that made it look like a Dustox wing, and it had a few wild hairs here and there.

Caitlin smiled a big smile and brought Darach into a hug. _I know I can always count on him to be positive and make me feel better when a touchy subject comes up_.

Over the years Darach has become like an older brother to Caitlin. He was appointed as her butler when he was 10 and she was still young. He followed her everywhere and saw to her every whim. He wanted her to be happy and never showed any signs of taking advantage of her looks and skill. He was the kind of guy she wanted for a boyfriend.

Darach bowed to her as an overdone sign of eloquence. Caitlin giggled. He was such a card when he exaggerated overplayed his job title. He stepped outside and flipped open a high-tech PokeGear to call a few people, most likely to reschedule a few things. He probably already allotted the entire day to her in his brain, but he also probably didn't reschedule ahead of the time because never took any chances with the possibility of life throwing one of its curveballs.

She looked out the window and noticed there were fanboys and fangirls everywhere. They were holding signs with references to letting the mob all be by her side in this "time of need". _At least the hospital didn't reveal I'm ok. That would make them swarm the building even with Officer Jenny out there._ She sighed and started pondering how she was going to escape unseen from the scene. She turned on the TV to see what was going on outside Sinnoh on the International Network.

Apparently a girl who she had followed and rooted for all through the Hoenn Grand Festival was making a grand reappearance in the Kanto one. She was in what appeared to be an epic rematch against that boy she lost to with the green hair.

_What was his name? Shoe? Oh whatever…_

The girl was locked in a close match. Obviously she is coming back with vengeance after her loss to that boy in the Hoenn Festival. She had rooted for her because she was the daughter of a gym leader who followed her own path, and has done great things down that separate road. She also was the underdog, as no one thought she would even do well enough to get past preliminaries. A lot like the beautiful Caitlin herself.

Darach opened the door almost immediately. At first Caitlin was shocked at his blazing speed, but then she shook it off and smiled. He was the fastest business guy out there.

"Everything's in place. I called for a personal escort to help us get out of here. I bought out the ice cream store, so the paparazzi is going to have to wait to get to you…my good lady." He did that exaggerated curtsy to her again. This time Caitlin cracked up. He did it in such a way it made her feel safe. It made her feel at home. It made her feel happy.

Then the doctor came into the room. He was a handsome man with a light complexion and a fancy headlamp that was currently off that looked like it could be bright. He had one hand in his unbuttoned lab coat with the symbol of the Battle Tower on it. He had blonde hair with a pencil wedged on top of his ear as if for the off chance not having a writing utensil would end up in a life being lost. He had deep red eyes. He smiled at her and introduced himself as Dr. Sheal.

At first Caitlin disliked him knowing he was going to make her share her life story. "Look doc, let's cut to the chase. Do you have to have the information on my family for legal purposes?"

Curiously, the doctor did not look stunned. I guess Darach filled him in on the way Caitlin acted and her current situation. He simply sat down next to her and took the pencil off his ear. She thought he would pull out a sheet of paper and threaten to record everything she would say, but then he placed it on the desk next to them.

He spoke, "Caitlin girl, I understand you are worried about this information being stored somewhere for the nosy media to get ahold of. Do not worry, nothing spoken here will be recorded. I simply need to know why your parents aren't here. Because they should be here ranting at me for either not being able to wake you up with some magical, non-existent drug, expressing pride in their daughter's conquering the Battle Frontier – S for the first time in history, and crying when they think you might not wake up. But there is no one here doing that."

Caitlin understood his concern and softened her expression and eased her muscles. "Well, why do you need to know?"

The doctor simply looked through the window. "Because I know things no one else knows. Namely about the People of the Water." At the mention of the tribe's name, Caitlin jumped. She frantically looked around and pinched herself to make sure she was awake. "OW!"

Yeah she was awake all right.

The doctor sighed. "I know what your situation is. And you need to explain your parents' situation to me. It will give you insight as to how to search your soul. I am simply here as a mediator to speak to, as speaking to someone you do not know will make you say everything truthfully."

Caitlin was curious now, and Darach was completely caught off guard by this Tribe thing, and dropped his stopwatch. "So, are you a descendant too?" Caitlin asked.

A sudden flapping occurred at the window as a Pokemon with a dark blue complexion with red marks above a beak, and it sported a white belly flapped down to the crowd of people outside the hospital.

No one noticed though.

The doctor shook his head. "No, unfortunately not. I do know about Caitlins besides the fact they accept, and after you passed out, I insisted I be your doctor to help you here. I wanted to prevent unnecessary explanation to the ears of someone who is oblivious to your case. See, I spend my free time researching the People of the Water and the People of the Veil. The Veil people are easier as they still exist nowadays. The Water ones, not so much. So it will also help me see the life of a chosen Princess."

Darach held up his hand and looked at the ground. Caitlin and the doctor turned to look at him simultaneously. He raised his head and asked, "Explanation, anyone?"

Caitlin brought her fist down on her head softly as if to make an "Of course! Duhh, silly me" gesture. Caitlin giggled that same giggle as Kateleya. She turned to him and explained the whole story.

By the time she was done, the butler looked completely mesmerized. He straightened his shirt as the doctor leaned back in his chair and they both whistled loudly. The both obviously were just enlightened about her ancestor's customs and culture.

"Well then, I see. Now before you tell me, I know. Keep this information in this room, right?" Sheal winked at her.

Caitlin laughed. "You know the drill."

The doctor snickered. "Well you know now why I need to hear your story. I know this will be difficult, but please. For your sake."

Caitlin heaved a huge sigh. The hugest she has ever created. She never wanted to recall her story. Ever. She vowed it would never leave her lips. But she wasn't the same person after her meeting with Kateleya.

She asked for a moment to think. The doctor nodded and went out the door. Caitlin looked at the TV. Apparently that girl with the red bandana won after all. May actually won.

_Good for her._

But the important part here is what she noticed on the TV. Something this girl will say will completely change Caitlin's future life, and she doesn't even know it. A crazy, overdressed reporter she had never seen before that had maroon-pink hair was interviewing the girl. What May said shocked Caitlin.

"Well…I usually think I win mostly because I believed in my Pokemon. But when I come down to it, all the training we have done has helped, but I would have lost to Drew anyway if it wasn't for one thing."

_Drew. That's his name._

May giggled and looked at the camera with a face full of glee and with eyes full of luster. She said, "I only own because I knew an important person believed in me. I won because I have the best fan crew of three in the whole world. And the loudest voice is the boy behind me known as Ash Ketchum…" May turned her body to show a boy with raven-colored, messy hair. He was obviously unprepared for the camera. He fumbled around with his clothes and hair, and finally managed a forced, awkward smile that made May and the two others laugh. Caitlin laughed too. "…He helped me come from behind. I thank him and the two next to him, and them alone, for this win."

_Ash Ketchum…supporting crew…I need a supporting crew to get through this story I am about to tell. I need an Ash Ketchum._ Caitlin looked up and saw Darach looking out the window inquisitively. Caitlin palmed her forehead with a light tap and smiled. _I have Darach…my world-class supporting crew. _

She nodded to Darach and the butler let Sheal back in. He walked in slowly, lightly putting one foot in front of the other as if there could be a pitfall somewhere in the room that was dug up in the last 2 minutes. Caitlin waved him over, and he breathed a sigh of relief as he sat down next to her once more.

Caitlin parted her lips for a brief second, then closed them. This was gonna be hard. "Well, I believe it happened when I was around 8. I was born into a rich l family and was expected to become the CEO of my parent's company when my mom retired. But I was unusual. I loved Pokemon, which is absolutely taboo for an elite family at my hometown. My parents did their best to separate me from Pokemon, but I always felt a personal connection to them."

The doctor was looking at her, absorbing every syllable she spoke. Darach just smiled and stared intently into here eyes, bringing her confidence to keep going on.

She continued. "Then I met Solosis. It's my Duosion right now, but I met it as a young, frightened, little baby. I brought it home, and my parents were furious. They threw a fit, and tossed my new Solosis out the window. But Solosis was a Psychic type. It could levitate its way up to my window, unlock it with its mind, and let itself in. And that's how we did it: a secret meeting with Solosis every night for a year. It was absolute bliss."

The doctor now had a puzzled look as he scrunched his eyes together as he told her, "I still don't see why your parents aren't here in this room."

Caitlin continued, "Yeah. I'm getting there. After that year my school career began to really get hard. I had to keep acing every class, which wasn't so much hard as it as time consuming. But what's worst is that every guy in the grade wanted to date me, and it became a game. 'Whoever can get her to kiss you first wins.' Needless to say I was pissed. Though I still fell for a guy who charmed me well anyway. He was handsome, brave, and a starter for the basketball, football, and baseball team. He was the apple of everyone's eye and I wanted him. But I should have seen my mistake in letting someone's charm blind me from their true self…"

She paused. Time passed. Seconds, minutes, days? No one could tell.

"He used me. Doc, I was but 9 and he tried something dirty. It was just him and me on our first unofficial date. He leaned forward to kiss me, and it was against every single one of my principles to give in and return it. But it was too tempting. We held there for about 10 seconds, and then he started going too hard. He tried to invade my mouth with his tongue, and even reached for my bra strap. I pushed him off, screaming and weeping bitterly. No, bitterly is too kind. I was weeping with rage. I ran from the site, with him laughing. I overheard him say to one of his friends, I'm guessing through his phone, 'Yeah bros. I did it. I win. And I almost scored double time hehe.'"

The doctor was staring at her like she just said Pokeballs don't exist. It was a look of pure sympathy and pain.

_Wait, pain? What? Is he so kind as to feel my pain?_

Whatever the case, she kept on keeping on, as Darach tells her. "I was betrayed by a male that day. I have never let another invade my personal bubble in my entire life besides Darach here. I can trust him, and unfortunately, only him."

Her eyes were starting to redden. Normally no one in the world notices this besides Darach. But the doctor noticed. He pointed his index finger to the sky and left the room wordless. It was smart, as Caitlin was almost drained of energy to continue. But she regained her composure in his absence. After 10 minutes, he came back in, smiling. He changed into casual clothes to make her more comfortable. He brought a box of tissues, as if to have her prepared for the worst.

_How does a guy who's never met me care so much? …_

She nodded at him, smiled, then continued. "I went home crying the whole way. My parents didn't notice my tears. I came into the house sobbing, and they told me that if I finished my homework by 7, I could have dinner. That's all they said. I ran up to my room and threw myself on the bed. I took my hot glue gun from my workstation and glued my bra strap together, to make sure no one could ever undo it again. I then wept into my pillow for what felt like ages. Thoughts like '_WHY! Why are guys so STUPID and…and…and CARELESS…a-a-a-a…and SENSELESS?' _crossed my brain. Solosis sensed my pain and came into my room earlier than it should have. It comforted me, which helped me a lot. But my parents barged in the door soon after to ask me how my homework was going."

Caitlin's eyes were watering. She took a few tissues and wiped her eyes. When was the last time she cried? It's been a while.

"Instead they saw the Psychic Pokemon and flipped out. They took it, and…and…and they…"

Caitlin started breathing heavily.

"…they punched it in the face, and chose a few key names to call it. I ran in to protect the Pokemon, and my mom proceeded to punch me. I put my hand up to my nose and felt blood coming down."

Caitlin was now on her knees on the ground. Sheal was the only thing keeping her up. Darach got up to comfort the tortured beauty, but Caitlin put her hand up.

_I need to get through this myself_. She stared this message directly into his eyes. He nodded slowly and sat back down.

She looked back at the doctor, her eye veins red and throbbing, and her emerald eyes sparkling and turning a shade of blue form her tears. How such perfect eyes became so hurt was shocking to the medical expert.

"I looked at my parents. My mom yelled at me to get back to my work, and that I would go to school without transportation tomorrow. I told them that a boy tried to strip me earlier. It was a desperation attempt. I..I…I want-t-t-ted t-t-tto gi…give th-th-the-the-th-them one more ch-chhh-ch…chance. A f-f-f-f-fffffinal testttt…"

She completely let her body go limp. Doctor Sheal kept supporting her, even though his arms seemed to be tired. Darach had joined the kind doctor and they together sat her down on the tile and leaned her against the exam table. However, she slumped over onto the floor and wept on it. She was bawling at this point, completely helpless and full of hurt.

A glint appeared in the window as a man in a business suit was sitting there, waiting to unknowingly ruin the next 6 months of the new frontier brain's life.

"You know what they said? My mom said '_TOO BAD!' _I was shell-shocked and tt-t-tturned to my d…ddd..dad. He just sneered. That's what he did. HE JUST SNEERED!" Caitlin's voice was rising now, the girl recalling this moment of hurt and pain. "HE JUST DUCKLETTING SNEERED!" She was shouting at the ground, at a stand off against a tile on the floor which had gotten a thorough bath from her tears.

Darach pulled her close as the girl closed her eyes tears coming out like a waterfall, sounds coming out like fireworks. The doctor politely nodded his head to the pair and mouthed the words 'I'll be back. You too need a moment.' Darach nodded at this oddly understanding professional as the doctor stood up to look right in the eyes of something who the trio in the room would come to hate. Not the actual person manning the device, as he attempted to delete the footage later they would find out. But something with a lens and a zoom that had just captured Caitlin's moment of weakness.

The doctor's eyes widened as he realized he was staring into the eyes of a reporter who just recorded everything that had just happened.

* * *

><p><strong>How was it? I'm not sure if I captured the story of Caitlin's hurt well enough as I don't feel particularly moved when reading it.<br>Of course I've read it 8 times now so it shouldn't anyway.**

**R&R :) **


	5. Never Swallow Your Pride

**Hey guys it Porahgonx**

**YAYAYYAYAYAYYAY I GOTS A REVIEW AND A SUBSCRIBER TO DIS STORY AND A FAVORITE! I IS FAMIS NAO!**

**I do have one note to mention here to avoid confusion. The line breaks indicate a time switch. It's pretty obvious where we are at except for one point where I mention it in asterisks (*)**

**Did you like May and Ash's cameo appearance in the previous chapter? I did ;)**

**No more drabble, let's cut to the chase.**

* * *

><p>"CAITLINNNN!"<p>

This time Caitlin actually was startled. She fell out of her chair, then got up and frantically looked around. Darach was breathing heavily with his hands on his knees like he just shouted for a long time. A lonnggggggg time.

Her display of a real emotion other than depression caught the butler by surprise. For a brief second, the true emotion-filled Caitlin was her old self. Darach, at first, was hopeful, but brushed aside the feeling knowing she would turn back to her more modern state any second now.

But something was odd…even nowadays, the pretty girl was able to multitask at a superb level. She could, would, and should always be able to daydream and focus at reality at the same time. It came with her Psychic powers. So why was she so startled?

_Was it that boy? _Darach thought. _That smile was the first I had seen since the Ice Cream Parlor._

Caitlin, on the other hand, knew exactly why she was so startled. She was reliving that experience about her parents for the first time since that talk with the kind Dr. Sheal. She hasn't seen him since that day…that day that a video camera ruined her life. There's a possibility she could see him today though.

That is, if she has enough strength and guts to visit him at his office.

* * *

><p>Darach drove Caitlin to the ice cream place in total silence. Dr. Sheal had chased after the reporter, but only made it as far as his black security van. He then slumped back to the Battle Tower, and said they could leave without paying. Darach insisted that they pay something, but Sheal just drug his shoulders and left the room without a word.<p>

The butler was empathetic, knowing Sheal blamed himself for what just happened. He knew the doc would say it was his fault Caitlin talked, and it was him who caused her story to get caught. Darach knew this couldn't be farther from the truth. If Caitlin never told her story it would bottle up inside of her and eat away at her being over the course of her life. But for now, getting Caitlin to seclusion was priority.

Caitlin had already been filled in on the details. She was mortified when she heard she was caught. She couldn't try to even muster a smile. Darach didn't blame her, after all she did just express the most personal story about her, and now the world will know all about it.

The understated, ordinary car they had rented pulled up to a vacant parking spot. Darach carefully got out and scanned the perimeter to see if there were any possible paparazzi surrounding them. Darach led the distraught girl to the ice cream place. He looked inside the potted plant that was growing outside about 50 feet from the store and he found the key to the parlor perched precariously in the dirt. He took the key and led Caitlin inside. It had the lights turned off and the sign was set to "Sorry! We're not here right now! Our hours are: \/"

Caitlin walked behind the counter and contemplated what the best cheer-up flavor was. Then she saw it: the ice cream that reminded her of one of her only positive moments as a child.

Pistachio. Yes Caitlin loved Pistachio.

It reminded her of Watergate Salad, her favorite side dish in Thanksgiving. It was the time of her childhood where the stars aligned perfectly so that there was one good day in her year. No school. No homework. No guys. Best of all, no parents. They worked until the next day, because many years ago they calculated that the company would skyrocket to first in the nation in business if they stayed open on every holiday besides Christmas and Easter during the year.

The princess was fine with that. She only needed to give thanks for 3 things: Her food, her looks, and her Pokemon.

And since she was too young to make any real dinner, she would just make the nice and easy Watergate Salad. And she would savor it, embracing every second of the day.

So here she was, looking down at her most favorite flavor in the world, and while admiring it's green tastiness, she managed to crack, if ever so faint, a smile.

Darach paused what he was doing and looked into the smile. It quickly faded, but it still happened nonetheless.

Darach would never forget it, and felt a glimmer of hope in arousing the old Caitlin once again, as it was clear she was in a one-way ticket down.

* * *

><p>*<em>2 days later*<em>

Caitlin had crashed. She had downright crashed.

The footage somehow leaked out about her story, and now the whole world was on her back. But were they comforting and supportive? No. They were being total Poochyenas. Her mental breakdown distorted everyone's picture of her being this ever-joyful, indestructible girl and replaced it with thoughts of someone who was mental and depressed. Her front-page victory turned into a front-page failure.

And Caitlin was as distraught as ever. She had lost what meant so much to her – her pride. She didn't brag or gloat but she had an inner pride that fueled her victories. And Darach thought it wasn't just victories in battle, it was also victories against her parents. The whole "That showed them" mentality.

But now that was gone. Her party of Pokemon tried to comfort her, but it was a fruitless task, as Caitlin was unreachable. Darach tried everything to cheer her up, and the doctor did what he could, but the press totally Klanked her over.

Now here she was, about to get the worst news of her life.

There was a chubbier man in a blue Hawaiian shirt and a pair of awesome sunglasses standing in front of here with a look of sympathy on his face. His hair was puffed up in balls all over his head and was cut shortly. He had on a pair of slacker shorts and some sandals to complete the slacked-off look.

He sounded like he hated what he was saying. Caitlin was tearing up, obviously trying to stand with pride, but the red veins in her eyes were telling a different story.

"I'm sorry girl. You can't lead a Battle Frontier facility. I really wish you could."

Caitlin just looked at her feet. "But….wa-why?"

Scott replied, "It's got to do with the recent news of course. Now before you say anything, I don't believe the rumors. I think you're the same tough cookie I met when I became your official Battle Frontier-S sponsor. But I also have standards to meet for the guests and a place to run."

Caitlin nodded politely and started stroking her own hair, messing with it around her bangs.

Scott sighed and looked away. "But that's not all. We watched your battle, and whatever happened during that battle was very unheard-of and dangerous. We did some testing, and it appears you caused the air around you to become inhospitable and very combustible. I know you're a smart girl and all, but that means you could have done some serious damage to the area around you. Imagine if you had lost. Now imagine that power in a facility. Think of what would happen to the people around you. It could become fatal. Most likely not, but it is not a risk we can take. It's clear you know as a brain you will lose eventually. We can pay for damages to stuff. But not people."

Caitlin knew this was coming. She had already figured this out herself, and showed no surprise when he mentioned this. She spoke one word that would set the course for her next 6 months.

"Fine."

* * *

><p>Caitlin was walking her way to the Battle Tower. If there was one beneficial thing from this whole shenanigan, it was the loss of publicity. She could walk down the street without being bothered. Guys still gawked at her, but it was better than being poured with rash affection and love proclamations from fanboys on a day-to-day basis.<p>

She looked up at the tower. It was grand and majestic, housing 76 floors of friendly and competitive entertainment to watch or compete in. She had completed the requirements to face Palmer before her fateful battle, and didn't have to deal with all the hustle and bustle. Although it was no LaRouse City, it was the best thing in Sinnoh for entertainment.

_That fateful battle…_

Caitlin picked her frontier site as far away from the Tower as possible. She built the castle walls partially to accommodate the medieval shtick, but mostly to blockade herself from the giant technological beast of a facility.

She walked through the mechanical doors and an overly cheerful voice came from behind the front counter.

"Welcome! We are the ever-proud barely-beaten facility located just off of the intersection of Mareep Way and Sharpedo Avenue! We hope you enjoy your…."

Cue the shriek.

Yeah Caitlin thought this would happen. If there was one place that didn't forget her, it was here. The front desk helper looked at her with remorse. Why?

_PPPPT! Your guess is as good as mine…._

"YOU!"

Everyone around looked at the beautiful girl. Now that she was here, everyone knew her. That means they adored her right?

Wrong.

Apparently she had somehow disgraced them by beating Palmer (she was still the only one) and then following it up with being a manager, not an actual Brain, of a facility.

Everyone booed her as she walked to the door to the medical department. She kept her head up and acted like nothing was happening. Pride, pride, pride. Then interesting things started happening.

It started with people throwing stuff at her. No biggie. She could take a few banana peels and apple cores and rice balls.

Then they started asking their Pokemon to use special attacks on her. Signal Beam, Water Pulse, Ember. Weak attacks. Something a supposed Psychic Princess can handle.

Then the line was crossed for the first time when someone had their Hitmontop use Mach Punch on her. Then people started thinking it was ok to brutally attack her with direct force. Punches, kicks, and rams were thrown her way and she was getting badly bruised up. She was knocked down again and again and again. She felt her face and noticed it was bumped and bloody.

"SPEAK YA DUCKLETT FACE!" "WHAT, CAN'T HANDLE A FEW ATTACKS SCAM ARTIST?" "YOU'RE AS PATHETIC AS YOU'RE FACILITY!" Every jeer you can think of was thrown her way.

But she got up without a word.

She made her way to the door, stumbling as she went. She was about to open it when some girl got in front of her.

"Going somewhere?" she sneered. It reminded Caitlin of that sneer from her dad oh so long ago. Fury welled at the surface, but the princess pushed it back. This Poochyena was not worth it.

The jerk slapped her right across the face, but Caitlin stayed standing. This was her pride. She hadn't lost it all.

She looked over at the desk. The front lady was conveniently too busy doing her nails to notice what was going on, apparently.

"Oh so you think your so cool huh? Beating Palmer like that, and then you have the nerve to show up?" She snickered and then slugged her in the gut.

This put Caitlin on her knees now. She wanted to moan so badly, but that would just provoke them more. The punch had knocked the wind out of her, and she was having problems staying conscious. She closed an eye to stay focused.

Everyone laughed at her. The girl made another remarkably low comment, "Yeah BITCH! Stay on those knees!" This made everyone crack up even more.

Caitlin stayed strong.

_She's not worth it. She's not worth it. Just get to the handle._

Caitlin reached across for the handle, but the girl slapped her hand and brought the heel of her boot into Caitlin's face. Caitlin somehow stayed still without falling.

She stood back up. Her face was screaming in pain, and it looked already like she was involved in a 1 on 10 gang fight with no fight limits. But somehow her beauty still shined through the bloody and bruised mess she now was. She was going to have to push this lassie aside.

"Oh so you think you're too beautiful for me huh?"

"Um, no. I need to get to the doctor please, so move aside now."

"HA! The doctor to make that ugly thing you call a body actually legal to live in!" Everyone in the waiting area got a kick out of that. The front desk lady fell out of her seat rolling on the floor.

"As a matter of fact, yes. If it makes you stand aside, yes. Now please move before I use more forceful measures…"

Her trolling was obviously working. Her lack of reaction and total chillness was getting to the bully. "Whatever…"

But then the lass made the biggest mistake of her life. She grinned slyly and decided to tell her Azumarill to use water gun and mess up her gorgeous hair. The Aqua Mouse snickered and happily accepted, deluging Caitlin's hair and making it a soppy mess.

Everyone was shocked. No one laughed now but the girl. This was not going to end well…

Caitlin didn't care about her looks. But she knew her hair was a blessing unlike any other. This was no longer a game of 'Hit the Girl.' It became personal.

Caitlin wished this jerk would just be across the room. She wished everyone would shut up. She wished she could just get through the door...

Then it happened. The girl was picked up by a force that came from nothing and thrown all the way across the room to the PC on the other side. She grasped her head in pain and winced from the shock of the blow. She started to cry and was screaming on the ground for the pain to go was conscious, but just barely.

No one could move their mouths. It came on suddenly, and totally out of nowhere. Everyone wanted to speak, to scold Caitlin for what just happened even though the girl did absolutely nothing, but they couldn't. Their mouths didn't just close…they didn't work.

Caitlin sighed and opened the door. She closed it behind her, and the scene along with it.

Now the pains and aches slammed down on her like a steel wall. She could no longer act like it never happened. Her body was screaming for her to collapse and just get it over with.

But she didn't. She had a mission, and had her pride. She trudged up to Dr. Sheal's office for what felt like forever.

She found the room, opened it, and stared at the room with her eyes starting to go cloudy. She then fainted after this pause, but not before a pair of helping hands gingerly caught her.

But it wasn't the doctor's hands. It was someone else.

Someone who Caitlin recently talked to.

* * *

><p><strong>Wow. I have a habit of ending stories epicly like that. Sorryyyyy<strong>

**I think I did a better job of catching the suspension there. Sorry if I offended anyone with the profanity. I have for the most part been replacing it with Pokemon names, and if you're mature enough you'll get the message. If not, then don't worry about it teehee.**

**And I know I have been doing mostly stressful and slightly depressive/sad tones but it's on purpose. I need to get the feeling of hurt and pain across early to make her journey seem more real. I predict the mushy stuff to start circa Ch 8-10 and the epicness ch 15-16. I am planning on ending this in 22 or so more chapters, so my goal is to be done by Easter. I think I can knock out quite a few chapters this Christmas break, but don't plan on it being too much. I have a life, and I want these stories to be ah-MAY-zing (see what i did there?)**

**R&R por favor. **


	6. A Chip Off the Old Doc

**Hey there.**

**I've hit the 300 hit mark. GO ME. Oh and I guess my readers as well ;)**

**I will confirm for you that we are in the present.**

**I have a oneshot (ADVS) I would like to upload tomorrow if I finish editing.**

**I would just like to emphasis one thing that I think I didn't do a good job of...the doctor does not like Caitlin in _that _way.**

**Oh and one more thing. I know I am using Dr. Sheal as an OC and I have one more I promised coming but please bear with me. OCs are fine under three conditions: They have purpose, there aren't too many of them, and you don't use yourself as an OC**

**One moment to say I do NOT own Pokemon in any way shape and form. If I did, Ash would be traveling with May, Brock, and Caitlin with Ash and May together and Brock and Holly together (she'd show up late). Next gen there would...oh never mind the story is below.**

* * *

><p>"Is she waking up yet?"<p>

"Yeah. Not too much longer now."

Caitlin had been knocked out cold for a solid day. Officer Jenny came in and out periodically to see if Caitlin was awake yet. She said she had some important business to deal with her.

Dr. Sheal assumed she was assaulted based on her injuries, and that was what Jenny wanted to speak to her about.

She was never truly close to being in critical condition. But she sustained some major blows. It was amazing she suffered no permanent damage.

_Probably just her connection with the People of the Water_. The doctor thought.

There was a boy who was inside his office before she strolled in. He had some vital news to tell Caitlin. Sheal couldn't guess what exactly it was since the boy won't tell him. But whatever it was, it was apparently private. He never did catch his name. He zoomed in, spilled the details, caught Caitlin as she fell, then dashed out the door.

Caitlin was in a very peaceful slumber. The young doctor smiled, knowing his work was done, and left the room, knowing her condition was just fine.

Besides, he had to go talk to Darach about the girl before Catilin had her talk with him.

Caitlin was inside her own dream again. But this time there was nothing but an open field. No flowers. No lake. No Pokemon. No Kateleya.

She had some time to think about her situation. She had no idea how to control her powers or what sustained them. She had figured out her weakness-that one couldn't be more obvious-defeat. If she lost a tough battle, it seemed that she would lose control of her emotions, and she let her anger and disappointment grab ahold of her and shake her around. It caused supernatural distortions to the world around her and turned her into a mini bomb. She hasn't tried it out yet, but she had figured this out form thinking.

Now if she could just find how to access that strength…

_Gahh…I could really use some help right now._

A random wind blew softly across her hair, making it float like the sail on a ship. She was glad there were no guys around. They might just propose to her the way she looked when that wind came across.

The day was cloudy with a fine mist speckling the area. It was majestic in a way that showed off the good attributes of Caitlin.

During this time she couldn't help but let her mind wonder to other thoughts. The main of which was that of the way boys treated her. She was a modest girl who asked the principle of her school to purposely leave her name out of the running for "Best Looks." She's a kind and generous person who is incredibly outgoing for others. But no one notices. Girls admire her for her _looks._ Parents want their children to be like her because of her _looks_. Guys crushed hard on her for her _looks_.

She wanted a guy who was kind to her and liked her for being a nice person. She wanted friends who found a way to not talk about how much they wanted to look like her for once.

_Wow there are some people that need serious help out there._

Then all of a sudden the breeze stopped and the mist rose up to her face, cooling her brow. She paused any sort of bodily action: moving, breathing, even thinking.

_Help._

The one word that made the whole world grind to a halt as a look of enlightenment and triumph came across the girl's face. She had finally figured it out. The world was so much clearer now.

She needed a special partner to_ help _her. She needed assistance to use her power and to control it. When she had her Duosion out with her in the battle against Palmer, she felt a bond between them that has stood the test of time. They have been together for what felt like forever. And it was that bond that helped her access that power, whatever it was.

Now to test this theory, she just needed to find a special partner besides Duosion.

So she had Darach right?

…_No. He's always there. But he's there as a brotherly type. I need someone closer to me. Someone I…love._

Then, as if this was the whole purpose of her dream, her world turned white as a blinding flash came out of nowhere.

She woke up in a hospital bed.

Again.

She surveyed her surroundings. It was still the same clean, marble-tiled room with the dark wallpaper. Again there was Darach in his seat on the couch to her right. He had out his gold stopwatch and smiled at her. Yeah, he probably knew she was going to wake up right now.

She closed her eye and shook herself more awake, and then spoke.

"Darach, I figured it out. I know how to access my power."

Darach went from his cool and collective state to one she only saw during intense battles…and that different state was, well, intense.

He scrambled around for a bit, putting his stopwatch in his overcoat. Then he leaned in closer to her, adjusting his glasses, his eyes wide open and his hands folded.

She took a deep breath then said coolly, "I need help. I need someone to love. I need someone to love me for who I am."

Darach just stared at her for a few seconds, then leaned back in the couch. "So…you need to find a guy who likes…'scuse me…_LOVES_ you for who you are?"

The beautiful girl nodded. She had an odd aura about her at the moment. She isn't smiling and happy, persay.

_But she's not frowning and looking distraught either._

Darach nodded and smiled. "Then I will help you find this special someone."

Caitlin thought she had just conquered a great feat. She had figured out what she needed to control her gift. But the only problem was…that was all she knew. She didn't know how to control her gift, where to find this guy to help her (some girls never find love until they are well into their twenties. She didn't have that kind of time.), how to go about finding the guy, the list goes on. But the worst part was, she had no idea what her power exactly was. Kateleya told her that every Sea Princess has a unique gift with its own type, power, and attributes. She could have the power to make the world bend, stop, and reshape at her will, or she could have the ability to smell berries. She had no idea.

So what was she going to do?

_Gahh this is frustrating_. Caitlin thought.

Caitlin sighed and looked at the TV. She asked if Darach would get the remote for her. Darach smiled and did his curtsy before he went over and picked up the remote. He walked to her bedside, went on a knee, and held up the remote like he was presenting her with a royal crown. "Your remote, your highness," Darach exclaimed as he had his head down. Caitlin couldn't help but giggle as she took the remote and laid back in her hospital bed.

Darach looked up with his jaw dropped and his eyes glistening with excitement. _SHE GIGGLED? WHAT?_

The girl paid no head to her butler as she switched on the TV. She noticed it was still on the international channel she had on before. Either Dr. Sheal preset it to this, or his previous patient was interested in international affairs as well.

_Sheal probably preset it. He is such a nice guy…_

"…and that's the latest news concerning the Kanto sightings of Articuno. Back to you at the studio Brian."

"Thanks very much Sarah. Now we have a new incoming report from Sinnoh Now and a fill-in reporter…errrm…" The studio leader flashed a nervous grin at the camera and then squinted down at the paper on his desk, as if her couldn't read the name. "…Jessedia…"

The camera scene shifted, and Caitlin was greeted by a woman with the most awkward and overdone sense of fashion she has ever scene. She wore a mini skirt that blossomed out like a Foongus. It was a dreamsickle orange, had some furls at the ends of it, and had a white, translucent inner layer. It connected with her top to make a one-piecer. It had short, puffy sleeves, but that was compensated for her white arm sleeves that were detached from her dress. She had her long pink hair in two ponytails jutting out the side of her head like a Pincer's horns, except horizontally instead of vertically. She was the same reporter that had interviewed May in the Johto Grand Festival. Normally Caitlin would sigh from the overdone look and turn off the TV, but something about the fact this woman interviewed May intrigued her. The girl couldn't quite put her finger on it, but something about the fact that May went on the unbeaten path from her family lineage of famous gym leaders to become a coordinator made Caitlin feel a special connection to the girl. So, because she was intrigued, she left it on to see what unfolded.

And sure enough, there was May pulled aside to be interviewed in her Ancient Princess Outfit after her commending appeal round. She gave her bubbly and cheerful answers that even the most enraged individual couldn't help but smile at. Caitlin thought she looked beautiful in her outfit.

But what came next shocked Princess Caitlin. She saw that boy...Ash?...the one that May said was her best supporting crew ever…dressed up in a PI's outfit that made his more handsome attributes stand out. She saw him being interviewed by Jessedia.

_But wasn't he that bleacher boy that participated in gym battles?_

And then the TV flashed a screenshot of the standings from the appeal round. Ash had come in second. The boy who had never appealed in a real contest before had beaten many people on an international stage. Wow. He was something.

_Wait so if May's supporter joins into a contest and does well…does that mean my supporting guy should as well? Gahhh. This is soooo confuzzling…._

She picked up the remote and turned off the TV. She pulled her covers off and hoped out of bed.

Darach reached his hand out in a gesture to stop her. "Umm do you think it's safe to walk yet Caitlin?"

Caitlin just nodded her head. Her emotions had gone back to the more orthodox way to see her nowadays…glum. Her eyes were half-opened in a sleepy trance as her mouth was in a shape that wasn't a frown. It was more like a calm expression of sadness.

She winced as she put her foot on the ground, and felt her face start throbbing in the place where that jerk's foot had slammed into her. But she shook it off and limped to the window. She looked out and saw that it was a cloudy day with a refreshing mist layering the ground. Normally she would be thrilled, and she would squeal her way to the front door and frolic like a little girl in the mist. She knew it was childish, but she couldn't help herself. It was her favorite weather.

But today she was still feeling down about her whole life.

The door opened behind her and she turned around with a half-awake expression in her eyes. They shimmered with beauty, as always. However over the last few months their mystic emerald-ness had dissipated, and it appeared that her eyes were a mix of gray and dark-green.

Dr. Sheal walked into the room with the same lab coat he wore before. He had a new, fresh pencil in his ear. He carried a clipboard with about a thousand different papers on it. "Greetings again Caitlin." He closed the door behind him and say in his chair.

"Hello doctor."

"I see you've made a remarkably fast recovery."

"Yeah, I guess."

The doctor sighed and just let out his thoughts, "Look, I'm really sorry for all this happening to you. It's my fault, I thought that if you explained your story you would…you would start figuring out your powers."

Caitlin looked him in the eye and nodded. "Doc, I know. It's not your fault. I shoulda…I shoulda…I-I-I don't know. There is no one to blame for what happened to me. Just an extreme case of bad coincidence."

Sheal looked hesitant, "But girl. Look at yourself. Those bruises and scars are because of me. That sadness you always have is because of me."

Caitlin shook her head. "No doc. It's not your fault. It actually has helped me a little in finding out something."

The doctor sighed and looked out the window. "That's good. But there is one thing I found out."

Caitlin was stunned for a split second. There was another spark of some emotion in her eyes, and it almost seemed as if they had regained some of their color and luster. But it quickly faded.

"Yes. I was searching through some records of the People of the Water and their lineages. Apparently every Caitlin in history has been disowned by their parents at some point or another. You my girl are, unfortunately, the most extreme case so far."

There was that word. Extreme.

_Why am I the most extreme case of everything?_

"So?" Caitlin asked, her face still looking sad.

"Sooo," The doctor replied, "there is a reason. Your parents are predetermined because they have to be the most thoughtless, careless, unappreciative people ever."

Caitlin frowned. "Thanks."

The doctor held up his pointer finger in a gesture for patience. "Hey now, listen. It is not such that those careless traits are passed on. Have you noticed how you have nothing in common with your parents at all? Looks, feelings, characteristics…?"

Caitlin thought for a second and then nodded. "I never thought of that."

The doctor nodded and then continued, "That's because you are prewired to be who you are by the sea apparently. And if you are worried about your parents, don't be. They are only supposed to be cruel to you for the early stage of your life so you feel pain from the ones closest to you. It helps you mature faster, and it forces you to trust and focus on yourself. It helps you connect with your power faster."

Caitlin nodded, absorbing all this information in. Darach appeared to be paying attention to both her and also to the time. He did not look concerned, which relieved Caitlin. If they were out of commission at the Battle Castle for too long, the Battle Factory fanboys wouldn't be the only ones rioting against her.

The doctor flipped through the papers on the clipboard and handed the entire thing to Caitlin. "Take a look. This is the most important thing I found."

Caitlin looked at Dr. Sheal for a few seconds, blinked a couple times with her half-opened, half-amused eyes, and then looked at the clipboard. What was on it was the most peculiar thing the girl had ever seen. There was an ancient page of papyrus that was worn through the ages and by the weather, having its edges burnt and torn. There were inscriptions in a foreign language she had never seen before. At the bottom there was an odd symbol that Caitlin remembered stood for the Sea Crown. **(A/N – Go look at the 9****th**** movie to know what I am talking about. I think it's important to incorporate some of Caitlin's knowledge of the People of the Water.)** She seemed captivated by the thing, and asked if she could pull it out of the enormous stack of papers. When Sheal gave her the OK, she gently took it out and looked at it. It was heavier than 10 sheets of paper, and felt like it was made of scratchy sand. But when she moved her hand over it, the papyrus felt smooth and fluid like her hand was gliding on water. It was a sensation she had never felt before.

Darach noticed her gawking at the scroll with awe, and he smiled. _The more emotion she shows, the better._ He looked over at the doctor with a look of approval and appreciation in his eyes. Noticing this, the doctor smiled and nodded his head to say, "You're welcome."

Caitlin felt a vibration on her wrist and she looked at her mark of the People of the Water that Kateleya gave her. It was glowing a bright blue and felt like it was emanating a mysterious power. She looked at the scroll and noticed the inscriptions were glowing as well. She thought for a second, and then touched her bracelet to the papyrus. There was a flash of blinding light that consumed the room, and then everything suddenly and oddly went back to normal, as if nothing had happened. Caitlin had no idea what just happened until she looked at her bracelet. It was completely normal. Before, it was tattered, old, and the shell were shattered her and there. Even the teal color had faded quite a bit. But now it looked like an antique you would find on an island resort shop. Bright, beautiful, and intact.

She stood frozen at the scene, not knowing what to do.

The doctor walked up to her and spoke, "Caitlin my girl, that was a piece from a scroll I found in my basement inventory. I can translate it for you if you want."

Caitlin looked up at him and said, "Please do."

Sheal cleared his throat then translated.

"This is a piece of the Temple itself.

It bestows upon the user the ability

to see who exactly Caitlin it by its

ability to heal her mark.

Only she can activate this scroll's powers."

Caitlin thought for a moment and then gratefully said, "Thank you for healing my bracelet then doctor." After Caitlin thought for another few moments, she back turned to him and looked confused. "Umm, two questions. One, how does this help me? And two, why do you have this in your inventory?"

The doctor smiled at Darach and spoke to the girl beside the window. "This doesn't just show who the person is, it heals your mark. Your mark will now serve as a buffer to monitor your power, to control the output of energy you exert when activating your abiloty. Unfortunately, it does not directly give you the direct power to use your power. But once you figure that part out, your mark will now be able to help control your ability. It will connect you to your ancestors."

Caitlin looked slightly intrigued. "But doc, how do you know so much about the People of the Water?" she said as she turned around to face the doctor.

The doctor's eyes shimmered with excitement. "Because, this goes along with your second question. I have an inventory of nothing but the People's stuff for me to analyze on a daily basis. This is my job at home after work. Why do I do it? Because…I am a descendant from the People of the Water as well."

Caitlin looked at him in amazement as her eyes opened slightly more.

Then someone running into the door broke the silence. And I mean running INTO the door.

"OW! Someone's gonna get a fine for this!"

Doctor Sheal looked at Caitlin and Darach with even more excitement. "And ya know what? Sounds like we got ourselves a visitor."

He walked over to the door and opened it.

And out stepped the same boy who made Caitlin smile for the first time in 6 months.

"Hey," he said as he stepped into the room while scratching his hair and smiling a sheepish grin.

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><p><strong>Yeah. I'm a jerk. A class one, rotten, devilish, dark-hearted jerk.<strong>

**Although if you know Pokemon, you should know who this guy is.**

**Don't worry. The drabble and plot build up will pause shortly and there will be a more interesting chapter soon.**

**Till later,**

**-Px**


	7. Fineally

**WOW I'm a jerk. It took me almost THREE WEEKS to update these ANs...fail.**

**And not only that, I also didn't add in the line breaks I needed because they don't copy over from word...another fail.**

**To those I neglected beforehand, sorry!  
><strong>**To those who don't know what the &#! I'm talking about, good. Read on :) **

* * *

><p><em>He sure knows how to make an entrance.<em>

These were Caitlin's thoughts when she saw a boy with blonde hair run through the door. He had a lime green scarf wrapped around his neck, even though it was a bajillion and a half degrees outside. He had a high-collar, orange-and-white striped shirt on. The collar was opened at the top, so Caitlin could see his scarf wrapped around his neck. He had an orange Poketch that matched his shirt. A brown over-the-shoulder bag was draped over his left shoulder and ended at his right hip. He had dark gray pants on, and wore brown sneakers over his feet.

His hair was messy and scattered all over the place, yet every clump of hair always ended in an oddly neat crescent shape that reminded Caitlin of Cresselia's head. But what really struck the young girl was the energetic and wild look in his amber eyes.

However his appearance isn't what caused Caitlin's next reaction.

What did cause it was the fact Caitlin was already acquainted with this boy.

She even went so far as to call him her friend.

And so with eyes as wide as a Gothita's, she said something very amusing to the people in the room.

"BARRY?"

* * *

><p>Plaza Central was the most centric point of the Battle Frontier S. It was another feature that distinguished Sinnoh's Battle Frontier from Kanto's. Every facility was on Fight Island and was within a 20-mile radius of Plaza Central. Far enough to put some distance between each facility, but close enough to be contained in one island.<p>

Plaza Central was the busiest place in Sinnoh. It had the best shops, the best eateries, the best training facilities, the best entertainment, the best everything.

So for a single boy to make a street in the plaza pause what they were doing and stare at him for a little bit required a great deal of effort.

That's exactly what a certain blonde-haired boy by the name of Barry did.

He was thinking out loud while sprinting so fast he left a dust trail in his tracks. And his thinking was more like shouting so loud.

But to Barry, he was just doing his thing.

_Oh my gosh, oh my gosh, oh my gosh, oh my gosh WHAT? WHAATTT? PALMER LOST? My father ACTUALLY lost a battle? NOT possible. I need to go FINE that loser who beat him!_

It was about 4 months after Caitlin's impressive victory over Palmer. Barry had been traveling through Sinnoh earning badges for the Sinnoh League. However he was on a break in the middle of his journey since he had earned his first 4 badges very quickly. He was coming to vacation in the place where his role model and idol made a living—Palmer. He was coming to just come and relax. That was the plan anyway.

But there's no such thing as relaxing in Barry's dictionary. He and his hyperactive self didn't DO that.

He was traveling on a ship from Veilstone City, where he got his fourth badge. It was a big and popular ship with news spreading around the passengers like wildfire. So the second he got wind his dad had actually lost a battle for the first time since taking over the Battle Tower, he was sprinting from his boat's dock to the Battle Tower at the speed of an Arcanine. Naturally, though, looking where he was going was a low priority.

_OW! Whoever put that pole there is gonna get FINED!_

People might have just thought it was just a crazy boy. But Palmer had been speaking highly of his son since Barry took off on his journey. So everyone, although surprised at how much energy could be stored in one individual, was less skeptical of his motives.

After about an hour had passed, he was sfalling through the automatic doors to the Tower, stumbling over his own two feet like his shoes were tied together. He fell against a wall and was breathing hard, yet smiling.

"Man, -pant- am I going to –pant- fine whoever –pant- invented tiredness –pant-."

The front desk lady just blinked a couple of times. Then she remembered this was her boss's son and frantically grabbed the phone and punched in the numbers to Palmer's office at the speed of Flash. She spoke so quickly the first time around, her words came out like, "Palmer, yon i-ere athe froorow!" Palmer calmed her down, and then had her repeat the words slower.

The lady took a deep breath while glancing at Barry being swarmed by Palmer fanatics.

"Your son is here at the front door right now, Palmer."

There was total silence on the other end.

"Hullo?"

Still silence.

"Umm, did you hear me?"

As if on cue, a man burst through the doors behind the front desk and sprinted across the room to the mob that had surrounded Barry. Palmer pushed through the crowd like they were wooden figurines and tackled his son when he got to him. The father and son shared a laugh and then got up giving each other a solid handshake. Then Barry put on an evil grin and gave his dad a solid fist pound…on his shoulder.

While Palmer squinted and nursed his new shoulder injury, he smiled and said, "It's good to have you back son."

A normal son would say something like "IT'S SO GOOD TO BE BACK!" or "I've missed you SOOOO much dad!"

Barry was more upfront with his criticism. Family togetherness could wait for later.

"WHY DID YOU LOSE DAD!" He said it with a look of a anger and disappointment on his face, but in such a way it looked funny.

Palmer knew his son would ask this question, but he sweatdropped when he heard it all the same. He chuckled and said, "Come with me. We have much to talk about."

* * *

><p>"YOU LOST TO A GIRL?"<p>

Palmer sweatdropped again. Partially because the embarrassing and humble way his son put his defeat. Partially because his son shouted so lous it made Exploud screams seem like whispers, and he knew Barry didn't pick that habit from the ground.

"Son, she is a prodigy for the fifth time! She beat every other frontier brain too, you know."

Barry continued to chide his dad. "That doesn't mean you have the right to lose to her! Where is she? Surely she is a frontier brain right now… I want to beat her and prove to you that you just failed!"

His dad was uncertain he should tell his son, but he decided too anyway. "She lives in the Battle Castle on the exact opposite side of Fight Island, but son there is something you should know…"

"..Yeah yeah be careful and all that. You shouldn't be giving me battling advice since you lost to her too ya know! I might have to fine my own dad for that! Ok I'll go beat her and be back in a couple days. See you dad!"

"Wait Barry I wasn't trying to…" Barry was out the door before you could say help. Literally.

Palmer sighed and smiled. Barry was almost an exact clone of his father, like his mom always told him.

"It's good to have you back son."

* * *

><p>Barry had made it all the way to the Battle Factory before he finally was too tuckered out to keep running. He asked the man at the front desk if he could stay for the night. The man nodded and directed him to the hotel section of the Battle Factory.<p>

The Battle Tower may be known for it's phenomenal entertainment and the fact that it has a Pokemon Center AND Mart AND hospital all in the same building, but since Barry had lived here for the last 5 years, he knew his way around the facilities. He also knew that the Battle Factory had the most luxurious hotel in the entire Sinnoh Region. Fortunately for him each facility had a mini city built around it, each lasting for about 5 blocks. That meant he could do some shopping while he was around for the night.

While looking out the balcony, It occurred to Barry how Fight Island was exactly how he liked it. The Urban Jungle,

The only place that was Nature-based was the park about 10 miles southwest from the new Battle Castle. Apparently this Caitlin girl made sure no one built anything there. She beat his father and was a class-one nature lover. It irked Barry.

However, Barry may be hyper and feisty, but he isn't rash. He knew he couldn't judge this girl quite yet. He hadn't heard about any amazing teenage girl facility brain in Central Plaza, so something seemed fishy to him. Nevertheless, he had to take a break and kick back tonight. Besides, if Thorton was in town he could chat with an old friend.

But knowing Thorton, it was possible he was sitting at home tinkering with some new gadget and finding out a way to examine a Pokemon's moveset based on the way it moved its eyes. Yeah Thorton was what we would call a "genius."

Barry called up room service and ordered a plain cheese pizza with a Leppa-flavored Coba-Cola.

He went to the TV and switched on the Sports Channel. It looked like the Saffron City 'Kazams were beating the Nimbasa City Wheels at halftime, 43-36.

_That probably won't last long. Nimbasa is the powerhouse of basketball, and it'll just be a matter of time before Jered and his Electike go on a rampage._

Halftime reports have never interested Barry, so he flipped one channel down to the Cooking Channel.

Instinctively Barry spammed the "Channel Down" button. The only thing more annoying than Paid Programming to the blonde was cooking shows.

He somehow landed on the International Channel. He saw what appeared to be a boy with wild black hair dominating some street scrimmage against that jerk from Eterna City named Brute. Convenient name, right?

Anyway the wild-haired kid with the hat was beating the pants off of this kid. He seemed really angry about something.

Brute seemed really ticked at him for trouncing him. He lunged to try and punch the kid…_Oh his name is Ash Ketchum. The name just appeared on the info bar beneath the clip…_Obviously Brute failed miserably as Ash simply sidestepped the punch. He looked pitifully at the dude on the ground in front of him. He said five words that made no sense to Barry, "Don't make fun of May." The boy known as Ash then turned and walked away with a girl Barry personally knew as Dawn and an older, brown-skinned teenager.

Barry shrugged and turned off the TV, not quite sure what to make of the scene.

His food just then came up. He gobbled it down like a Swalot and let out a massive belch afterword. He laughed at his own immaturity and put his head down on his pillow. He took his scarf off and then reached for the lamp. He fell asleep so quickly, his hand only made it halfway to the off-switch before dropping down beside the bed in a lazy manner.

* * *

><p>Barry woke up to the sound of a buzz.<p>

And no not an alarm buzz. But an angered bug buzz. And there was a bug right in front of him floating in the air, holding its two pincers in a peculiar position.

"Beedrill?" he inquired.

"Close my old friend. It is merely a prototype of my new invention that allows one to soothe the wrath of a Beedrill before you get stabbed by it," came a voice from nowhere.

Barry was spooked at first, but then let a wide grin appear on his face as he started to put on his scarf. "I believe I have to fine you Thorton for intruding my peaceful sleep."

A snickering came from the doorway as the brain known as Thorton stepped out of the shadows.

How did he find out about where Barry was sleeping? Irrelevant. He probably just ran some quick calculations in his head and found out the exact time, date, and location where Barry would show up at his hotel.

Thorton was about 14 years old and had on a very slick get-up. His hair looked like he just had a perm, as it was as glossy as ever. He wore a tie on top of his formal suit and looked like a rich schoolboy ready to learn at the finest institute.

That's the thing about Thorton. He was a very busy boy. Besides his time he spent on gadget work, he was good at battling AND studying—a skill rarely seen ever in the world of Pokemon. He ran a Battle Facility based around strategy and thought processes. He had reconciled the benefits of skill at battling and knowledge of the practice to make him a tough brain to get past. He isn't the winningest of all the brains, but besides Palmer he boasts the stat of having the best win to loss ratio. He is barely ever challenged, as battling him is the most stress a person's brain can ever experience. It was impossible to outthink or outplay Thorton, so you had to be one step ahead of yourself and find a way to use total will to overcome his power. Every decision you made had to be absolute perfection, or you would instantly find yourself backed up against a defensive corner, at which case Thorton will use his battling skills to totally run over you. And this was with Pokemon you have never used before, or rental Pokemon. You had some time to train with them in your qualifying battles, but other than that you had no experience battling with you Pokemon. Thorton played by these rules too, but this didn't faze him in the least.

Yeah, he was a tough cookie to beat.

He was handsome, smart, and a good battler. Perfect in every way except one…his social skills.

He spends so much time thinking of strategy and fiddling with his gadgets he never has time to socialize outside of school. And in school you have just a bunch more Thortons that care even less about making friends. Thorton at least tried.

He wasn't an incompetent friend, or a jerk, or a know-it-all, or anything like that. He was just shy. And he unfortunately had a natural scowl that scared away plenty of possible candidates for "friend."

But Barry didn't care about that. He saw Thorton as a genius beyond his time and as a cool guy. Thorton trusted him with his life, and Barry the same.

However the brain did use Barry for social advice. Barry may be a new battler, but he was a beyond impressive socialist. His crazy attitude made every girl and guy (and girl) and pokemon (and girl) he met love him for his adorable and fun nature. And ever since Thorton met Barry, the brain had gained a little more prestige in the popular-kid community.

Thorton nodded in Barry's direction. "It's good to see you again too Barry. And you know as well as I do this is MY hotel, so fining me for intrusion is not possible."

This would be interpreted as snobbish and smart alec-y if it weren't for the faint grin he had in the corner of his mouth. Barry was used to his friend's sense of humor by now, and knew without looking that he was joking.

"Ha, ha, ha. Very funny."

Thorton pretended to look hurt. "I thought so…"

Barry looked up, expecting to have to apologize for his rudeness. But he instead found a Thorton who was desperately trying to contain his laughter.

"Whatever," Barry said while sighing.

Thorton sat down in the chair next to the bed. "I do have one question for you. Why are you here?"

Barry took a bite out of the muffin that mysteriously appeared on the hotel's nightstand. He guessed it was Thorton who put it there.

"Mmm…thanks for the muffin. And to answer your question, I'm actually only visiting until lunchtime today, sorry. I have to get to the brain at the Battle Castle so I can teach her a lesson! No one beats my dad without getting fined for it!" Barry pumped his fist into the air with a look of triumph.

Thorton smiled when he heard Barry's gratitude. However, that smile turned into a sigh and an amused look at his friend's ignorance..

"Umm Barry…"

"Yes?"

"I think I should tell you something right now…"

* * *

><p>"So…she's not a brain? Uhhh, what?"<p>

Thorton smiled at his friend and opened his mouth to respond. Then a device buzzed in his back pocket and he frowned at it. He knew the sound and recognized it right away. He groaned and let his head drop down in annoyance. The brain pulled out an old-fashioned phone-looking device and hit a few buttons. It beeped a few times and then he flipped out a keyboard from underneath. He jabbed a few buttons and more beeps and flashes followed. He pressed his thumb on a clear spot on the top of the device. It scanned his thumb, and then an antenna popped out and a circular disk popped out around it, making it look like a miniature satellite. With a face as enthusiastic as a Slakoth's, Thorton's eyes were scanned. When the device finally seemed convinced that this was, in fact, Thorton, the antenna retracted back into the phone.

Barry just stared with his mouth wide open. He questioned, "Ummm…what does it say?"

Thorton rolled his eyes at his device then turned to Barry.

"I have a lunch appointment in 5 minutes."

Barry fell over from the hilarity of this.

"I see you still have overly notched up security, huh?"

Thorton once again was smiling. "Yeah. I still haven't figured out a fail-proof security, and it really is aggravating me."

Barry smiled as he stood up to shake his friend's hand good-bye. "It's been good seeing you again Thorton."

Thorton pulled out a small radio comm and pressed a button while having his right hand akimbo. He pressed a button on it, then slipped it back into his back pocket. He accepted Barry's offer and held the handshake for a few moments. He followed it up with a laugh at the formality of the gesture and gave his friend a hard slap on the back.

Barry cringed at the assault. "HEY! Ya know I'm gonna have to fine you for that!"

The slick brain threw his back and laughed while turning around and walking out the door. He jabbed his hand in the air and waved as he went out. "Whatever you say Barry-ster. Whateva you say."

Barry smiled at Thorton. Then he suddenly remembered he never got an answer as to why this Caitlin girl wasn't a brain.

_Oh well. Looks like I'm gonna have to figure it out myself._

He picked up his bag and went outside to do some last minute shopping before heading back to challenge the Battle Castle and Caitlin. Or whoever the brain was at the place.

* * *

><p>Barry barged in through the front door of her facility, jabbed a finger at the front desk lady, and shouted, "If you don't let me challenge the brain here right now, I WILL fine you!"<p>

The front desk rang up Caitlin and Darach and asked them about this new quirky challenger. They turned to look at each other and shrugged. They decided to go talk to him as soon as this battle Caitlin was currently judging was done. Caitlin went back to her daydreaming while Darach went back to staring intently at the opponents, figuring out who was using what strategy and for what purpose.

When the battle was done, Caitlin nonchalantly sent away the winner for 12ish BP. The trainer had done alright. Obviously nothing special.

Darach took Caitlin's hand and led her down from her throne. The seat was all for show, and Caitlin hated it. It brought more attention to her than she wanted. But she had no choice.

He let go and led the girl to the lobby smiling, while having his right hand draped across his chest as he went. He pulled out his gold stopwatch as smoothly and quickly as a secret agent, checked the time, and then slipped it back into his pants. He gave it a flip and turn on the way down. Darach had some odd talents surrounding stopwatches.

They walked into the lobby to find an agitated boy tapping his foot against the floor impatiently. He was sitting down with his arms crossed and his head staring at the clock. He looked up to find the faces of Darach and Caitlin, and greeted them with a kind gesture that went something like, "WHAT TOOK YOU SO LONG!"

Darach frowned at this, and then remembered this was Palmer's boy. He snickered to himself at how much this boy was like his dad. He bowed to Barry.

"Greeting young trainer. What is such the rush that you must battle us now? Why can't you go through the qualification battles like every other trainer here?"

Barry sweatdropped and grinned nervously. Though, the grin looked more like a person showing the teeth at the right corner of his mouth with no curve in his lips whatsoever.

Barry started shouting some things and rushed through his words while frantically spinning his arm beside him. Small bits and phrases could be made out from his rushed babble.

Caitlin, however, was entertained by this boy's enthusiasm. It was at such an extreme she had never before seen in her life. She raised an eyebrow, and her eyes lost some of the drowsiness they had before.

Caitlin got the gist of what this boy was saying. She somehow understood that this was Palmer's son, and his name was Barry. He came to challenge her directly since 'she had the nerve to go and beat her father'. He also mentioned if they didn't accept, he would have to fine them.

The Psychic somehow knew this threat wasn't actually serious.

Now Caitlin was many things but she wasn't a snob. She wasn't a killjoy. And she most certainly wasn't heartless.

She felt guilty she couldn't battle him. She had felt this numerous times before when challengers came, expecting to battle _her_, the first victor over Palmer, and ended up with Darach instead. Even though she felt this way numerous times before, she couldn't help but continuously feel this way every time someone mentioned it.

She turned to ask Darach what his thoughts were, but she instead caught the face of an overwhelmed and confused butler. She almost giggled at that sight. Almost.

She beckoned his ear to her mouth as she whispered what she heard. Darach's eyes widened with enlightenment and he nodded.

"Well then young boy. I see what you are saying. We normally don't do this, but Caitlin here has decided to make a special exception for you."

"ALRIGHT!" Barry jumped in the air with a fist pump.

"But you do know you will be facing me right?"

Barry fell mid-air and landed on his head. Caitlin beckoned her hand out to help him, but he got up before she could make the gesture. He was rubbing his head and had an eye shut in pain, but he was smiling through it. He said, "Yeah, yeah, whatever. Just battle already!"

Darach nodded and led Caitlin back to the battle stadium. There they would await their first defeat ever.

* * *

><p>Throughout the battle, Barry really held his own. He had some true grit and beat Darach with his final Pokemon, Prinplup, which beat Darach's final two Pokemon. Although both had taken significant damage, it was still a comeback on any level.<p>

But he also did something that was odd. Randomly in between turns, Barry would call out Caitlin and ask her questions. At first they were interrogations about how she beat his father and why she wasn't battling anyone. The girl did her best to answer without giving away any information she didn't feel was appropriate for the public to know. However after 5 or so minutes, Barry stopped interrogating her and just started talking to her. Caitlin was surprised at this boy's quick change of mind. Either he was the most hyperactive boy on this planet, or he had the attention span of a fly. Or both. She couldn't tell.

At some point however in the middle of all this talking and battling, a smile crept onto Caitlin's face. It was the first she had experienced in a long time. She touched her lips, almost like she forgot how the movement felt like. Darach peaked over his shoulder and did a double take at seeing Caitlin's reaction. His eyes glimmered as he smiled, thinking, _FINALLY! SHE FINALLY SMILED!_ It almost made him miss a move, but the battle was no longer important to the butler. The girl who he had come to know and love as a proactive, happy, prideful, above-the-world and above-the-influence was back. If but for a minute, she was back.

And after seeing this he started planning dinner for the three of them. They would go to the _Arcade Stella Ristorante_. Best Italian ever, by the way. He would contact Dahlia and make sure they had a table reserved for the night. He could count on the Arcade Star to pull through for them.

Caitlin was going to have the best day in 6 months tonight, whether she liked it or not.

* * *

><p>And so now Caitlin stared into the amber eyes of the impatient boy. She just stared at him, not knowing how to react. Then she smiled and lunged forward, embracing him. This boy made her smile. He made her laugh. He gave her a night that reminded her what it was like to be happy.<p>

Barry returned the hug. Darach smiled at the sight while Dr. Sheal pulled a fresh pencil from behind his ear to scribble some tbings down on his notepad.

He turned to Darach and pointed at what he wrote using the eraser end of his pencil. Darach nodded and patted Sheal on the back. The two left the room, talking and laughing as they went, leaving Barry and Caitlin alone in the room.

Barry popped open a soda can he had in his hand and gulped it down. He wiped his mouth and spoke to Caitlin.

"I have a plan to get you back on the battling track girl. Now listen here…"

* * *

><p><strong>Im sorry that this was entirely Barry's PoV basically. I needed a lighthearted chapter, and he fit the bill.<strong>

**I left you guys in the air almost the same way I did last chapter. Sorry!**

**And to the doubters, there were no OCs or OOCs this chapter. I'm happy I somehow evaded these kinds of characters when writing about a slightly unknown character's even-more-unknown background, traveling through a never-described-in-anime-ever-before area. Yeah. I'm impressed!**

**Next chapter won't be up for another couple weeks at most.**

**R&R, or I'll have to fine you!**


	8. The Golden Letter

**A short chapter, yes. But I liked it. Honestly.**

**The mood will continue to escalate. We will start upon the meat of the story soon.**

**Keep your eye out for symbolism...this chapter is chalk full of important symbols that will recur throughout the story. They are fairly obvious, so just pay attention.**

* * *

><p>The idea was crazy. Completely and utterly crazy. Out of this word. Preposterous. Infinitely cosmic in stupidity. So insanely senseless that it seemed like only a mentally unstable person would even attempt to think about it.<p>

So crazy…it might actually work.

The hospital room seemed frozen in time the way everyone in it was shocked. Not even a draft flew in. The colors seemed to flush and become sepia and washed out. Even the bedside faucet seemed like if you turned on the water, not a drop would come out.

The people in the circle didn't know whether to smile and give Barry a standing ovation for such an innovative idea, or to push him out of the room in resentment and disgust for giving an idea with such great levity.

The blonde stood awkwardly in the middle of the room, sweating. He was tempted to bite his nails to disguise the reason his teeth were chattering like the temperature was at absolute zero. He was worried about whether his idea was going to be thrown out the window and he would be cast away as an ambitious, cute boy, or if he would be praised and congratulated with arms wide open. This girl, Caitlin…she was obviously struggling. She wasn't happy. But if there was one thing Barry knew he does right with his life, it's being happy.

_I am a master at good times and being the life of the party. I have this brilliant idea to make what I hear was once a convivial, jubilant, prideful girl back to her formal self. I can't just ignore it!_

That is his thought process, and the reason he called Dr. Sheal the day before. Sheal obviously approved of the idea because he let Barry tell Darach and Caitlin his ingenious idea.

Now, in the hospital room, the lively trainer's thought process was more like, _C'mon! IT'S GENIOUS! If you don't acknowledge that, I'll have to fine you!_

Fortunately, Caitlin was thinking about the idea pretty thoroughly. She even seemed to be zoned out to the world around her. Darach noticed this, and her thoughtfully unaware state seemed to perturb him a bit. Although lately, this kind of mind drifting has become the norm.

Caitlin shook her head, not knowing what to say.

_Yes? No? Maybe? It's a good idea…but…is it suiting for me? I know I need to be happy again, but is this really the only way to that? Or maybe I should just pick the apples while their ripe and accept the offer…but what if later on I find out it was the wrong choice to accept the other? Then what?_

"Caitlin?"

Caitlin blinked her eyes open into the blurry eyes of Darach. She rubbed her eyelids a couple times, and made his form clearer. He beamed at her. No one could resist smiling when staring at someone as pretty as she was batting her eyes open. It was like eating the sweet, juicy, ripe flavor of fresh fruit for the first time.

"Yes?"

Darach looked down at his stopwatch which he had already pulled out and frowned. He looked back at her and told her, "We have to get back. There's a special guest tonight who just told me he will arrive a few minutes early tonight. And judging from the time I left the Castle, the fact that it is a Sunday, the algorithmic measure of how leaving work at 11:07 a.m. affects hungry people on a semi-cloudy day…."

Darach went on and on and on explaining the long way why they had to get to the Battle Castle immediately. He wasn't beating around the bush, because everything he said was a real calculation. He was basically a machine, figuring out time-related problems and accurately guessing them to the nearest hundredth of a second.

Caitlin thought for a sec, then slowly yet uncertainly nodded.

_Special guest? Who could that be…_

Darach turned to Sheal and Barry and smiled. "We can continue this tomorrow. Agreed?"

Barry and Sheal met each other's gaze and followed suit. "Agreed."

Darach clapped his hands together after flipping his stopwatch in the air. It landed perfectly in the pocket of his overcoat. Yet another skill with a stopwatch he had.

"Then it's settled." He turned to Caitlin and noticed the giant wound aid she had on her head, and recalled the event he heard that partook in the Battle Tower lobby. "But this time, you two are coming over to the Castle, alright?"

Sheal blushed, again blaming himself for Caitlin's injuries at the hands of external forces out of his control. "Of course."

Barry shrugged. "Whatever. Just don't make me fine you for it."

Darach smiled and nodded. He grabbed an inanimate Caitlin by the arm and dragged her like a statue out of the room. Her hair brushed against his arms, and it felt as soft as an Altaria's wings, as it always had. She seemed unaware to the fact she was being dragged out the fire exit, her feet skidding across the metal stairs and bumping on the steel gratings on each step that provided extra grip for scuttling persons fleeing from a fire. They exited this way to avoid the front lobby and main pathway to the Battle Tower, for obvious reasons.

Since she was frowning, she looked like a 6 year old being dragged somewhere her dad, Darach, wanted her to go. Well, a full-grown, matured 6 year old at that.

Caitlin just stared at the sky, oblivious to the humorous manner she was acting.

_What Barry said…is it true? Should I do it? It's insanely crazy…buttttt…I wouldn't be calling it crazy a year ago._

She closed her eyes, and clutched her hand to her heart.

_After all, I had been traveling around the world back then. And I was an insanely good battler. _

* * *

><p>She opened her eyes half of the way and noticed she was in the limousine that Darach drove her around in. It was traveling across the Conkeldurr Bridge - a purely scenic bridge who's sole purpose was to provide a beautiful look of the ocean that separated Fight Island from the mainland of Sinnoh. She looked across and caught a faint glimpse of the place where she last set foot on a place other than Fight Island over a year ago. Here she thought her main reason why she was so hesitant on Barry's idea.<p>

_Like, c'mon! I haven't left here in over a year._

Caitlin had long since been brought back down to the planet by the time she and Darach pulled up to the Battle Castle. There was a long line of people at the front door/drawbridge. Some were stamping their feet impatiently, some chatting and hitting up friendly conversations with other around them, some incredibly hungry. Okay one person incredibly hungry. But it was hard to tell whether either his hunger or his obvious need for a latrine was killing him quicker.

Darach chuckled at seeing the young boy. He knew some trainers were crazy about proving themselves in the Battle Castle and would go to such extremes to get a chance to do so. Boys for two reasons – one, Caitlin was a drop dead gorgeous girl, and playing as a depressed princess made her unintentionally evoke the want of a guy to help a damsel in distress. Two, she was a tough judge. Anyone who proved themself worthy of a decent amount of CP, or even so much as a clap, should truly hold that accomplishment up with pride.

He got out of the limo first. He had a brief second of peace before someone in line noticed him, and announced the fact the Castel Valet was back to everyone in line. All the previous chattering turned into a mix of everyone shouting for the rights to the first challenge. You would have to have the ears of a Pidgeot to actually understand anything they were saying.

Darach sweatdropped and waved his hands in front of his face with a rushed, nervous grin. He cleared his throat and took out his gold stopwatch and looked at it. No normal person would know what to do at this. But there were a few returning trainers who knew this meant Darach needed them to fall silent. So they did. The people around them noticed the ballooning silence from the veterans, and contributed to it by stopping their random chatter. Eventually the silence spread to even the most rambunctious and talkative of the crowd. It was a long way of silencing a crowd, but it was Darach's way.

Caitlin snuck out the back door of the long, sleek car, and ran around to the backside of the facility.

_Thank you Darach._

While the Castle Valet was busy calming the crowd down and explaining the situation (leaving out the details of Caitlin, of course), Caitlin went ahead and called up the front desk, telling the people their to get ready for a long and busy shift.

She hung up the phone after she heard the usual "Of course Lady Caitlin."

This sentence was odd. Her employees were the only people who called her by that title that made it seem like they actually respected her. Not out of some medieval castle shtick, not out of some hatred mockery, but out of genuine, truehearted respect. She loved her staff—the refs, the front desk workers, the technicians, everyone. They were the best in the world.

She took a deep breath and took her position in the small throne overlooking the battlefield, preparing for the dreaded wave of battle enthusiasts.

* * *

><p>The day was done, and that meant one thing. This special guest.<p>

Darach wiped his brow and mused out loud "WOW. Caitlin, do me a favor and remind me to prepare better for a long day like today."

Caitlin sighed and agreed. "Darach, of course. But you know as well as anyone else that if it wasn't for you we would be scrambling to try and recover from my…incident."

Darach frowned upon hearing "incident." Caitlin felt distressed by this, like she failed her closest friend.

"Darach I'm so, so, so, soo sorry. I had no idea…"

Darach held up his hand while bellowing a load laugh. He readjusted his glasses while snickering through his kindly face.

"Caitlin hon, I know it wasn't your fault. I am proud of you for not lashing out. If it makes you feel better, Palmer fired his front desk lady whom he's had for over 2 years."

Caitlin looked up at him unamused, looking like, "Seriously?"

Darach sighed. "Yeah I know you don't want things like that. But I want you to be safe. You shouldn't have to hide from the world, girl. You are an amazing person! You are an amazing battler!" He then leaned in close and whispered to her, even though he probably could have shouted as loud as a Loudred and no one would hear him, "Not to mention the most beautiful girl _this _butler has ever seen." He winked at her.

Caitlin whined and dove behind the referee's desk.

Darach just shook his head, laughing. "Caitlin you have the most humble and amazing personality, as well as character, ever. You know how beautiful you are, but you refuse to show yourself off. You know how desirable you look, but you reject all clothes that are even slightly provocative. You know how stunning your hair is, but you don't mess with it…ever. You are entirely aware of how amazing a battler you are, but you don't go around complaining about your make-shift imprisonment here. You are handcuffed to this jail of a castle, but you bear through it for thousands of challengers you don't even know. Every guy in the world your age wants to be with you. Wants to care for you. But you know they want to for all the wrong reasons, so you don't go down to their level."

Darach took a deep breath then walked around the desk to stare a Caitlin curled up like a ball with her back against the desk. She was obviously processing everything he said grudgingly. She wasn't in pain; she just hated being reminded of how she was every guy's golden girl. Darach did the Pokemon World symbol of friendliness - closing his eyes, smiling, and bobbing his head to one of his shoulders. He held his hand out. Caitlin looked up, her mouth slightly ajar. She cracked ever so faint a smile and accepted his offer up.

When she was up Darach took a golden something from his back pocket and closed her hands around it. He smiled, and said one last thing,

"And to top it all off, you have never in your life mentioned once how good you are in any way, shape, and form."

He let go and let her look at his gift. She inquisitively opened her palms. What she saw made her so shocked, her eyelids opened all the way for the first time since…gosh since who know when.

Inside her palms was a golden trinket with one design. It was the design she had cherished since she was but 4 years old. She went through preschool with it. She learned the basics of Pokemon holding it. She left home with the design. However on her trip from Celestic Town to Fight Island, she lost it in a massive gust of wind on the ferry. It looks like Darach went out and had the design perfectly etched out in 100% 24K gold.

Inside her hands was a French Script "C" with a line through it.

She looked at it for a second.

Then another second.

Then a minute.

Then another minute.

She seemed so choked up she couldn't say anything.

Finally, she leaped into Darach's arms, crying with a smile. Her tears fell with warmth. Her eyes shed water for the first time without her veins going berserk red.

After a while, she stopped the embrace. She laughed, and smiled. She was in a good mood.

And Darach, the hired butler of Caitlin; the joint fugitive with her from Hoenn, running from her parents; the Castle Valet of Battle Frontier-S; the willful companion of Caitlin who had to watch her spirit tank without being able to do anything about it; Darach, felt like he had just been given a crown of honor saying he had been the one oh-so-long-ago to solve cancer all over. Saying he had been the one to find the cure for the common cold. Saying he had been the one to bring peace to multiple warring nations.

And Caitlin looked up to the one person in her life she had ever loved as a brother, overcome with joy. It lasted for only a moment, but this mutual feeling of love and life swallowed the two like they were in their own world.

…But all good things come to an end. The C was not enough to bring her back entirely. She thought of her situation. She thought of the words Scott had told her. She thought of the words Kateleya had told her. She thought of what had happened against Palmer, and all of a sudden she was taken over by grief once again. She dropped her head, and her eyes returned to their bleak state.

Darach sighed and frowned, but shook it off. He knew Caitlin saw him as a brother…and he couldn't help but feel like Caitlin was his sister. He had cared for her all his last few years. And he wasn't complaining, because Caitlin was an amazing girl before she was overcome with wistful depression.

_I can't bring her back completely, and I know that. But I found her back for a few precious minutes. That is enough to make my day._

So he smiled and said, "C'mon princess. It's time we met out guest."

* * *

><p><strong>Sooo how was it? This is one of my better chapters.<strong>

**Keep your eye on the Golden C especially.**

**R&R**

**-Px**


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